Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Etchers and Engravers

Engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Miscellaneous Production Workers

Production Occupations

Other Production Occupations

Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses.

Examine sketches, diagrams, samples, blueprints, or photographs to decide how designs are to be etched, cut, or engraved onto workpieces.

Prepare workpieces for etching or engraving by cutting, sanding, cleaning, polishing, or treating them with wax, acid resist, lime, etching powder, or light-sensitive enamel.

Engrave and print patterns, designs, etchings, trademarks, or lettering onto flat or curved surfaces of a wide variety of metal, glass, plastic, or paper items, using hand tools or hand-held power tools.

Prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration.

Use computer software to design patterns for engraving.

Expose workpieces to acid to develop etch patterns such as designs, lettering, or figures.

Adjust depths and sizes of cuts by adjusting heights of worktables, or by adjusting machine-arm gauges.

Measure and compute dimensions of lettering, designs, or patterns to be engraved.

Adobe Illustrator

Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite

Delcam ArtCAM Express

Gravograph GravoStyle

Western Engravers Supply Vision EXPERT

Microsoft Windows

Computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing CAD/CAM engraving software

Automatic feeding eyelet machines

Laser engraving systems

Pantograph engraving machines

Rotary engraving machines

Contact printers

Bench grinders

Gravers

Benchtop drill presses

Flat cold chisels

Hand arbors

Reduction cameras

Whirler machines

Protective glasses

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Every day

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Extremely important

Very important

Important

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

Never

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Continually or almost continually

More than half the time

How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?

Once a week or more but not every day

How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

Once a month or more but not every week

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

Limited freedom

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a year or more but not every month

How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Etchers and Engravers

Overview

Career

What Etchers and Engravers Do

Other Job Titles Etchers and Engravers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Etchers and Engravers

Overview

Career

What Etchers and Engravers Do

Other Job Titles Etchers and Engravers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Etchers and Engravers

Majors Related to Career

Related Leaders