What is a Boilermaker?
Boilers, water heaters, tanks, and vats are used in many buildings, factories, and ships. Boilers heat water or other fluids under extreme pressure to generate electric power and to provide heat and hot water. Large tanks and vats are used to process and store chemicals, oil, beer, foods, and hundreds of other products. Today’s boiler are very modern and are capable of operating at upto 99% efficiency.
Boilers are made out of steel, iron, copper, or stainless steel. Manufacturers are increasingly automating the production of boilers to improve the quality & efficiency of these vessels. However, boilermakers still use many tools to assemble or repair boilers. For example, they often use hand and power tools or flame cutting torches to cut pieces for a boiler. They use pipe threading and welding equipment to install elaborate piping system thoughout buildings and factories. Boilermakers also use wrenches, grinders, cutting tools, plumb bobs, levels, wedges, turnbuckles and a variety of tools specially designed for the boiler industry.
If the boilers and other equipment is very large, cranes lift the parts into place. Once boilermakers have the parts lined up, they use metalworking machinery and other tools to remove irregular edges so the parts fit together properly. They then join the parts by bolting, welding, or threading them together.
In addition to installing and maintaining boilers and other vessels, boilermakers help erect and repair air pollution equipment, blast furnaces, water treatment plants, storage and process tanks, and smokestacks. Boilermakers also install refractory brick and other heat-resistant materials in fireboxes or pressure vessels. Some install and maintain the huge pipes used in dams to send water to and from hydroelectric power generation turbines.
Because boilers last a long time—sometimes 50 years or more—boilermakers must regularly maintain them by upgrading parts. As a result, they frequently inspect fittings, feed pumps, safety and check valves, water and pressure gauges, and boiler controls.