Maintenance Fitter Job Description

Maintenance fitters create new mechanical parts to replace worn-out parts.

Industrial plants use a variety of kinds of machinery, both manually operated and automated. These pieces of machinery inevitably wear down their parts. In many cases, the machinery parts are so rare that they need to be welded from scratch instead of just ordered. Some industrial companies utilize maintenance fitters to cut costs when parts are commonly damaged or worn out.

Function

A fitter uses welding machinery to make mechanical parts. These welders use techniques such as oxyfuel gas cutting, oxyacetylene welding, shielded metal arc welding and air carbon arc cutting to create parts that are then used to replace broken parts, according to Career Technical Center. In some cases the maintenance fitter is expected to regularly inspect equipment and perform preventative maintenance, which requires initiative in the fitter. In some cases the maintenance fitter also directs independent contractors.

Conditions

Many maintenance fitters work on-call and some may be called into work late at night in production facilities that operate 24 hours a day. Maintenance fitters work with heavy machinery and electricity and in high temperatures, which all could potentially injure the worker, though taking safety precautions can prevent injury. Maintenance fitters often are required to stand for long periods of time. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 30 percent of maintenance fitters regularly work overtime.

Skills

Maintenance fitters sometimes are trained on the job through apprenticeship programs and many receive welding training at technical colleges. Some companies require maintenance fitters to eventually obtain a restricted electrical license. Before a person can receive Level C fitter welder instruction from a technical school, he or she must have graduated from high school, according to Technical Career Center. Maintenance fitters must be able to adapt to changes in the environment they work in. Maintenance fitters must have excellent mechanical aptitude. Computer skills are also needed.

Outlook

In 2008, 408,300 maintenance fitters held jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Between 2008 and 2018, the need for industrial machinery mechanics such as maintenance fitters is expected to grow by 6 percent, according to the bureau. While this industry is not growing much, it is growing faster than the manufacturing industry overall. Growth is driven by increasing automation, which increases the number of machines that have to be repaired.

Earnings

The median hourly wage for maintenance fitters in 2008 was $20.99, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The highest 10 percent earned more than $31.40, while the lowest 10 percent earned less than $13.63. Fitters working in motor vehicle parts manufacturing earned the most.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Industrial Machinery Mechanics
• Career One: Maintenance Fitter Job
• Career Technical Center: Welder Fitting Skills