raining is required for some assembly
jobs.
Nature of the Work
Assemblers and fabricators produce a wide range of finished goods
from manufactured parts or subassemblies. They produce intricate
manufactured products, such as aircraft, automobile engines, com-
puters, and electrical and electronic components.
Assemblers may work on subassemblies or the final assembly
of an array of finished products or components. For example, elec-
trical and electronic equipment assemblers put together or modify
missile control systems, radio or test equipment, computers, ma-
chine-tool numerical controls, radar, or sonar, and prototypes of
these and other products. Electromechanical equipment assem-
blers prepare and test equipment or devices such as appliances,
dynamometers, or ejection-seat mechanisms. Coil winders, tapers,
and finishers wind wire coil used in resistors, transformers, gen-
erators, and electric motors. Engine and other machine assem-
blers construct, assemble, or rebuild engines and turbines, and of-
fice, agricultural, construction, oilfield, rolling mill, textile,
woodworking, paper, and food-wrapping machinery. Aircraft struc-
ture, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers put together and
install parts of airplanes, space vehicles, or missiles, such as land-
ing gear. Structural metal fabricators and fitters cut, align, and fit
structural metal parts according to detailed specifications prior to
welding or riveting.
Assemblers and fabricators involved in product development read
and interpret engineering specifications from text, drawings, and
computer-aided drafting systems. They also may use a variety of
tools and precision measuring instruments. Some experienced as-
semblers work with engineers and technicians, assembling proto-
types or test products.
As technology changes, so too does the manufacturing pro-
cess. For example, automated manufacturing systems include
applications of robotics, computers, programmable motion con-
trol, and various sensing technologies. These systems change
the way in which goods are made and affect the jobs of those
who make them.
The concept of lean manufacturing, for example, places a
greater premium on teamwork and communication within cells
of workers than it does on the assembly line process. Team assem-
blers perform all of the assembly tasks assigned to their teams, ro-
tating through the different tasks, rather than specializing in a single
task. They also may decide how the work is to be assigned and how
different tasks are to be performed. This worker flexibility helps
companies to cover for absent workers, and increases their ability
to respond to changes in demand by shifting labor from one product
line to another. For example, if demand for a product drops, com-
panies may reduce the number of workers involved, while individual
workers perform more stages of the assembly process. Some as-
pects of lean production, such as rotating tasks, are becoming more
common to all assembly and fabrication occupations.
Working Conditions
The working conditions for assemblers and fabricators vary from
plant to plant and from industry to industry. Work areas may be
noisy, and many assemblers may have to sit or stand for long peri-
ods. Both electronic and electromechanical equipment assemblers,
for example, sit at tables to perform much of their work, although
their surroundings are generally clean, well-lit, and free from dust.
Some electrical and electronics assemblers come in contact with
soldering fumes, but ventilation systems and fans normally mini-
mize this problem. Assemblers of equipment that is vulnerable to
dust and dirt, such as transmissions, may work in clean rooms that
are designed to minimize contamination. Aircraft assemblers, how-
ever, usually come in contact with oil and grease, and their working
areas may be quite noisy. They also may have to lift and fit heavy
objects. In many cases, improvements in workstation design and
the increased use of overhead cranes and other power-lifting equip-
ment have improved working conditions.
Most full-time assemblers work a 40-hour week, although over-
time and shiftwork is fairly common in some industries. Work
schedules of assemblers may vary at plants with more than one
shift.
Employment
Most of the 2.1 million assembler and fabricator jobs in 2002 were
in manufacturing; most of the 7 percent who were employed by
employment services firms also worked in manufacturing plants.
Team assemblers, the largest specialty, accounted for 55 percent of
assembler and fabricator jobs. The distribution of employment
among the various types of assemblers was as follows:
Team assemblers ....................................................................... 1,174,000
Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers .......................
281,000
Structural metal fabricators and fitters ......................................
89,000
Electromechanical equipment assemblers .................................
60,000
Engine and other machine assemblers ......................................
50,000
Fiberglass laminators and fabricators ........................................
37,000
Coil winders, tapers, and finishers ...........................................
36,000
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers ...
27,000
Timing device assemblers, adjusters, and calibrators ...............
6,500
All other assemblers and fabricators .........................................
361,000 2
Manufacturing industries employ 80 percent of assemblers and
fabricators. Assembly of computers and electronic products ac-
counted for 13 percent of all jobs. Assembly of transportation equip-
ment, such as aircraft, autos, trucks, and buses accounted for 19
percent of all jobs. Other industries that employ many assemblers
and fabricators were machinery manufacturing (heating and air-con-
ditioning equipment; agriculture, construction, and mining machin-
ery; and engine, turbine, and power transmission equipment); elec-
trical equipment, appliance, and component manufacturing (lighting,
household appliances, and electrical equipment); and fabricated
metal products.
The following tabulation shows wage and salary employment in
manufacturing industries employing the most assemblers and fabri-
cators in 2002.
Transportation equipment manufacturing .................................
397,000
Computer and electronic product manufacturing ......................
285,000
Machinery manufacturing .........................................................
209,000
Electrical equipment, appliance, and component
manufacturing ......................................................................
160,000
Fabricated metal product manufacturing ..................................
155,000
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
New assemblers and fabricators are normally entry-level employ-
ees. The ability to do accurate work at a rapid pace and to follow
detailed instructions are key job requirements. A high school di-
ploma is preferred for most positions. Following detailed assembly
instructions requires basic reading skills, although many instruc-
tions rely on pictures and diagrams.
Applicants need specialized training for some assembly jobs.
For example, employers may require that applicants for electrical
or electronic assembler jobs be technical school graduates or have
equivalent military training. Other positions require only on-the-
job training, sometimes including employer-sponsored classroom
instruction, in the broad range of assembly duties that employees
may be required to perform.
Good eyesight, with or without glasses, is required for assem-
blers and fabricators who work with small parts. Plants that make
electrical and electronic products may test applicants for color vi-
sion, because many of their products contain many differently col-
ored wires. Manual dexterity and the ability to carry out complex,
repetitive tasks quickly and methodically also are important.
As assemblers and fabricators become more experienced, they
may progress to jobs that require greater skill and be given more
responsibility. Experienced assemblers may become product re-
pairers if they have learned the many assembly operations and un-
derstand the construction of a product. These workers fix assembled
articles that operators or inspectors have identified as defective.
Assemblers also can advance to quality control jobs or be promoted
to supervisor. Experienced assemblers and fabricators also may
become members of research and development teams, working with
engineers and other project designers to design, develop, and build
prototypes, and test new product models. In some companies, as-
semblers can become trainees for one of the skilled trades, such as
machinist. Those with a background in math, science, and comput-
ers may advance to become programmers or operators of more highly
automated production equipment.
Job Outlook
Employment of assemblers and fabricators is expected to decline
through the year 2012, reflecting increasing automation and the shift
of assembly to countries with lower labor costs. As manufacturers
strive to improve precision and productivity, automated machinery
increasingly will be used to perform work more economically and
more efficiently. Technological advances should continue raising
the productivity of assembly workers and adversely affecting their
employment.
Many job openings will result from the need to replace
workers leaving
this large occupational group.
The effects of automation will be