Fitter Courses
Fitter Craftsmen are specialist mechanical engineering tradespersons. In heavy and medium engineering, even after of use of automatic machines with good accuracy, further machining or bench-work and fitting by hand are needed to finish the metal work to the desired accuracy and then assemble it with other parts. Fitters perform various operations on small metal pieces (eg. Mild Steel) like filing, marking, sawing, chipping, scraping, grinding, drilling, reaming, tapping and die-ing to remove metal, bring them to desired sizes and shapes, and then precisely be fitted in assembly using information of Fits and Tolerances. In this course, apart from Fitting, students are also taught the allied trades viz., Turning, Welding (Gas and Electric), Sheet Metal, Forging and Plumbing.
A Fitter is involved in assembling and fitting parts and sub- assemblies that are made from metal and other materials to make production machinery working from specifications or detailed drawings using hand and machine tools and precision measuring instruments.
The main tasks of a fitter are:
Installation
Depending on the size and number of items to be installed, a fitter working alone or as part of a team, will have the responsibility of unpacking, positioning, installing and commissioning new machines, plant and/or other equipment in factories and other work sites. The installation may be as large as a power station, or be part (or all) of a factory and its contents.
Routine maintenance
Fitters are typically responsible for carrying-out routine (scheduled) maintenance on machines, plant and equipment once they are in service to keep them in working order. Tasks would include routine lubrication (oiling / greasing) of moving parts etc.
Diagnostics and repairs
At some stage of its working life, components fail. This may be due to misalignment, over load, misuse, wear or breakage. As a result the machine, plant or equipment may begin to show signs of impending failure, or it may fail to operate. Fitters diagnose the problem, locate its cause, then repair it.
Overhaul
Due to the cost of replacing older machines, plant and equipment, it is often preferable to recondition or overhaul them, than to replace them. In such cases the fitter dismantles the machine, plant or equipment, analyses each of its components for wear, replaces or repairs those components as required, then reassembles the machine, plant or equipment, and commissions it back into working order. Employment opportunities: Fitters are in huge demand in heavy and medium industries all over India and abroad.
