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Etchers and Engravers

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)	Projected Growth (2023-2033)
National Statistics	$40,450	1500	2.3%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$40,450

Median Wage (USD, 2023)

1500

Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)

2.3%

Projected Growth (2023-2033)

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

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Detailed Work Activities

Set equipment controls to meet cutting specifications.
Engrave designs, text, or other markings onto materials, workpieces, or products.
Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
Determine production equipment settings.
Inspect finishes of workpieces or finished products.
Measure materials to mark reference points, cutting lines, or other indicators.
Calculate dimensions of workpieces, products, or equipment.
Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
Operate cutting equipment.
Clean workpieces or finished products.
Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products.
Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
Mix substances to create chemical solutions.
Engrave designs, text, or other markings onto materials, workpieces, or products.
Set equipment controls to meet cutting specifications.
Clean workpieces or finished products.
Inspect finishes of workpieces or finished products.
Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing.
Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products.
Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.
Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
Inspected printed materials or other images to verify quality.
Operate equipment to print images or bind printed images together.
Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.
Engrave designs, text, or other markings onto materials, workpieces, or products.
Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
Trim excess material from workpieces.
Immerse objects or workpieces in cleaning or coating solutions.
Fill cracks, imperfections, or holes in products or workpieces.
Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.
Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.
Design templates or patterns.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

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.
Clean and polish engraved areas.
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.
Neutralize workpieces to remove acid, wax, or enamel, using water, solvents, brushes, or specialized machines.
Examine engraving for quality of cut, burrs, rough spots, and irregular or incomplete engraving.
Transfer image to workpiece, using contact printer, pantograph stylus, silkscreen printing device, or stamp pad.
Set reduction scales to attain specified sizes of reproduction on workpieces, and set pantograph controls for required heights, depths, and widths of cuts.
Print proofs or examine designs to verify accuracy of engraving, and rework engraving as required.
Position and clamp workpieces, plates, or rollers in holding fixtures.
Remove wax or tape from etched glassware by using a stylus or knife, or by immersing ware in hot water.
Guide stylus over template, causing cutting tool to duplicate design or letters on workpiece.
Start machines and lower cutting tools to beginning points on patterns.
Determine machine settings, and move bars or levers to reproduce designs on rollers or plates.
Remove completed workpieces and place them in trays.
Insert cutting tools or bits into machines and secure them with wrenches.
Sandblast exposed areas of glass to cut designs in surfaces, using spray guns.
Sketch, trace, or scribe layout lines and designs on workpieces, plates, dies, or rollers, using compasses, scribers, gravers, or pencils.
Fill etched characters with opaque paste to improve readability.
Brush or wipe acid over engraving to darken or highlight inscriptions.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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