Automotive Machinist

Automotive machinists are skilled metalworkers who build, assemble, and renew internal combustion engines and engine components according to manufacturer specifications. They perform a variety of machining operations on engines and engine components of used vehicles. 


When vehicle engines are worn out, they burn too much oil and fuel and have to be rebuilt. The engine is brought to the rebuilder, who dismantles the engine and the engine components according to the manufacturer's instructions. 


This process includes the dismantling and cleaning of the engine, grinding various parts and manufacturing and fitting others.  It is very important that the automotive machinists inspect all the components thoroughly for cracks and other faults, after which they clean and rebuild the parts where necessary.  When turning and fitting the different parts, the re-assembling of the engine’s substructure has to be carefully done, before the engine parts can be balanced. The engine is then ‘mounted’ and a dynamometer used to test whether the engine functions correctly.

The work is very precise and is usually carried out indoors, in well-equipped workshops. Working conditions can be somewhat dirty and noisy, as lathes, grinders, drilling and milling machines are used.


Automotive machinists are very well trained tradesmen, who work accurately.  As a result, they can work for different other industries, in addition to engine builders.


Employment


  • motor vehicle assembly factories

  • motor engineering industry

  • garages

  • independent workshops

  • motor manufacturing industry

  • organisations that maintain their own vehicles

  • government departments


Where to Study

Papua New Guinea
University of Goroka


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