Manufacturing & ProductionMetal, machinery and related trades workersISCO 7221
hydraulic forging press worker
Hydraulic forging press workers set up and tend hydraulic forging presses, designed to shape ferrous and non-ferrous metal workpieces including pipes, tubes and hollow profiles and other products of the first processing of steel in their desired form by use of compressive forces generated by a piston and fluid pressure.
About hydraulic forging press worker
As a hydraulic forging press worker, you operate and maintain sophisticated machinery that transforms raw metal into precisely formed components used across industries from automotive to aerospace. You work with heavy-duty hydraulic presses that use piston and fluid pressure to shape ferrous and non-ferrous metals into finished or semi-finished products including pipes, tubes, hollow profiles, and other specialized metal forms. Your expertise ensures that metal workpieces meet strict quality standards and specifications for their intended applications.
Your daily responsibilities include setting up the forging press equipment and configuring controllers according to technical specifications, monitoring the press operation and adjusting parameters for optimal results, removing processed workpieces from the press, and performing test runs to verify correct operation. You manage the temperature of metal workpieces to ensure they reach optimal forging conditions, remove scale and impurities from finished pieces, and identify and remove any inadequate workpieces that don't meet quality standards. You also maintain the hydraulic system, troubleshoot equipment problems, and ensure all machinery remains in optimal working condition. Safety is paramount, as you work with extreme temperatures, heavy loads, and powerful hydraulic systems.
This skilled manufacturing position offers stable employment in Poland's industrial sector, which remains a cornerstone of the economy. As manufacturing becomes increasingly automated and quality-focused, experienced press workers who understand both mechanical and hydraulic principles are valued for advancing to supervisory roles, quality assurance positions, or maintenance management. The role requires technical precision, mechanical aptitude, and unwavering attention to safety protocols.
Key Work Functions
Core areas of responsibility for a hydraulic forging press worker.
1
Equipment setup and configuration
- Set up hydraulic forging press equipment according to production specifications and technical requirements
- Configure the controller of the machine and input parameters for specific forging operations
- Supply the machine with metal workpieces and ensure proper loading and alignment
- Perform test runs to verify correct operation and proper press function before production
2
Press operation and monitoring
- Monitor hydraulic forging press operation and observe workpiece forming process in real-time
- Maintain correct metal temperature throughout the forging cycle to ensure optimal shape formation
- Adjust press parameters and hydraulic pressure based on workpiece characteristics and quality requirements
- Ensure equipment availability by monitoring hydraulic system performance and pressure levels
3
Workpiece handling and quality control
- Remove processed workpieces from the press safely and place them in designated cooling or storage areas
- Remove scale and oxidation from metal workpieces using appropriate tools and techniques
- Inspect workpieces for defects and remove inadequate pieces that fail to meet quality standards
- Understand and apply quality standards and specifications for forged metal products
4
Equipment maintenance and troubleshooting
- Maintain hydraulic forging press in optimal working condition through regular inspection and maintenance
- Identify and troubleshoot mechanical and hydraulic system problems affecting press operation
- Manage hydraulic fluid levels, quality, and changing requirements for optimal system performance
- Operate forging tongs and other specialized tools for safe workpiece handling
5
Safety and technical knowledge
- Wear appropriate personal protective equipment during all forging operations
- Understand types of metals, their properties, and how they respond to forging processes
- Understand hydraulic system components, functions, and operational principles
- Follow safety protocols and machine operation procedures to prevent accidents and injuries
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (18)
hydraulic fluidhydraulic fluidThe various types, qualities and applications of hydraulic fluids used in metalworking processes such as forging and moulding, consisting out of mineral oils and water.types of metaltypes of metalQualities, specifications, applications and reactions to different fabricating processes of various types of metal, such as steel, aluminium, brass, copper and others.quality standardsquality standardsThe national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.forging processesforging processesThe various processes in the metalforming practices of forging, such as swaging, open-die forging, automatic hot forging, cogging, impression-die forging, roll forging, upsetting, press forging, and o...hydraulic press partshydraulic press partsThe qualities and applications of various parts of a hydraulic press, such as a priston, hydraulic cylinder, hydraulic fluid, ram, upper and lower die, and others.maintain hydraulic forging pressmaintain hydraulic forging pressTend a hydraulic forging press, designed for forming hot or cold metal by use of a high energy force hydraulically, monitor and operate it, according to regulations.remove inadequate workpiecesremove inadequate workpiecesEvaluate which deficient processed workpieces do not meet the set-up standard and should be removed and sort the waste according to regulations.troubleshoottroubleshootIdentify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.remove processed workpieceremove processed workpieceRemove individual workpieces after processing, from the manufacturing machine or the machine tool. In case of a conveyor belt this involves quick, continuous movement.perform test runperform test runPerform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, ...wear appropriate protective gearwear appropriate protective gearWear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.ensure equipment availabilityensure equipment availabilityEnsure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.operate forging tongsoperate forging tongsOperate the appropriate forging tools and equipment safely, including forging tongs for handling and moving hot metal workpieces during forging processes.monitor automated machinesmonitor automated machinesContinuously check up on the automated machine's set-up and execution or make regular control rounds. If necessary, record and interpret data on the operating conditions of installations and equipment...supply machinesupply machineEnsure the machine is fed the necessary and adequate materials and control the placement or automatic feed and retrieval of work pieces in the machines or machine tools on the production line.ensure correct metal temperatureensure correct metal temperatureEnsure the necessary, usually constant, temperature of processed metal workpieces during metal fabrication processes.remove scale from metal workpieceremove scale from metal workpieceRemove the accumulated scale, or metal 'flakes', on the surface of the metal workpiece caused by oxidation after removal from the furnace by spraying it with an oil-based liquid that will cause it to ...set up the controller of a machineset up the controller of a machineSet up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.
Optional (28)
non-ferrous metal processingnon-ferrous metal processingVarious processing methods on non-ferrous metals and alloys such as copper, zinc and aluminium.manufacturing of metal structuresmanufacturing of metal structuresThe production of metal structures for construction.ferrous metal processingferrous metal processingVarious processing methods on iron and iron-containing alloys such as steel, stainless steel and pig iron.metal forming technologiesmetal forming technologiesThe variety of technologies and techniques, such as forging, pressing, stamping, rolling and others, used for the forming processes of metal product manufacturing.manufacturing of metal containersmanufacturing of metal containersThe manufacture of reservoirs, tanks and similar containers of metal, of types normally installed as fixtures for storage or manufacturing use. The manufacture of metal containers for compressed or li...diesdiesThe qualities and applications of various kinds of dies, the different components of a die (such as the die block, punch plate, pierce punch and others) and the types of die used in specialised manufa...manufacturing of steel drums and similar containersmanufacturing of steel drums and similar containersThe manufacture of pails, cans, drums, buckets, boxes, through metalworking processes.cold forgingcold forgingThe metalworking process of forging whilst hot metal is right below its recrystallisation temperature, being cooled and solidified after casting.dust usage for forgingdust usage for forgingThe qualities and applications of frit dust, sawdust, coal dust, and others, in the process of hot forging when strewn into dies to ensure the metal workpiece does not stick to the die.manufacturing of heating equipmentmanufacturing of heating equipmentThe manufacture of electrical ovens and water heaters by metalworking processes.types of metal manufacturing processestypes of metal manufacturing processesMetal processes linked to the different types of metal, such as casting processes, heat treatment processes, repair processes and other metal manufacturing processes.hot forginghot forgingThe metalworking process of forging whilst the hot metal is right above its recrystallisation temperature after casting and being solidified.types of forging presstypes of forging pressTypes of presses used in the metal forging process, such as hydraulic and mechanical forging presses.manufacturing of steam generatorsmanufacturing of steam generatorsThe manufacture of steam or other vapour generators, the manufacture of auxiliary plant for use with steam generators: condensers, economisers, superheaters, steam collectors and accumulators. The man...inspect quality of productsinspect quality of productsUse various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.monitor gaugemonitor gaugeOversee the data presented by a gauge concerning the measurement of pressure, temperature, thickness of a material, and others.record production data for quality controlrecord production data for quality controlKeep records of the machine's faults, interventions and irregularities for quality control.apply preliminary treatment to workpiecesapply preliminary treatment to workpiecesApply preparatory treatment, through mechanical or chemical processes, to the workpiece preceding the main operation.hold metal work piece in machinehold metal work piece in machineManually position and hold a, potentially heated, metal work piece for the machine to perform the necessary metalworking processes on it. Take the forming character of the machine into account in orde...monitor conveyor beltmonitor conveyor beltMonitor the flow of the work pieces on the conveyor belt as they are processed by the machine to ensure optimal productivity.perform machine maintenanceperform machine maintenancePerform regular maintenance, possibly including corrections and alterations, on a machine or machine tool to ensure it remains in a proper productive state.advise on machinery malfunctionsadvise on machinery malfunctionsOffer advice to service technicians in case of machinery malfunctions and other technical repair tasks.consult technical resourcesconsult technical resourcesRead and interpret technical resources such as digital or paper drawings and adjustment data in order to properly set up a machine or working tool, or to assemble mechanical equipment.operate lifting equipmentoperate lifting equipmentTransport heavy objects using lifting equipment such as cranes, forklifts etc.keep records of work progresskeep records of work progressMaintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.tend mechanical forging presstend mechanical forging pressTend a mechanical forging press, designed for forming hot or cold metal by use of a high energy force mechanically, monitor and operate it, according to regulations.replace diereplace dieEvaluate if a replacement of the die of a machine is deemed beneficial and take the necessary actions for replacing it either manually (depending on its size, by the use of a manual lifting tackle) or...supply machine with appropriate toolssupply machine with appropriate toolsSupply the machine with the necessary tools and items for a particular production purpose. Monitor the stock and replenish when needed.
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Quick Facts
ISCO GroupMetal, machinery and related trades workers
Essential Skills18
Core Skills0