millwright

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A millwright is a craftsman or tradesman engaged with the construction and maintenance of machinery.

Early millwrights were specialist carpenters who erected machines used in agriculture, food processing and processing lumber and paper. In the early part of the Industrial Revolution, their skills were pressed into service building the earliest powered textile mills.

Modern millwrights work with steel and other materials in addition to wood and must often combine the skills of several skilled trades in order to successfully fabricate industrial machinery or to assemble machines from pre-fabricated parts. The modern millwright must also be able to read blueprints and other schematics to aid him in the construction of complex systems. Millwrights are frequently unionized, although experienced millwrights often set themselves up as independent contractors.

History

A millwright originally was a specialized carpenter who had working knowledge of driveshafts, gearing and mechanical belts . The "mill" in millwright refers to the genesis of the trade in building flour mills, sawmills, paper mills and fulling mills powered by water or wind.

A number of prominent early-modern civil engineers originally trained as millwrights, including James Brindley, John Rennie and William Fairbairn.

The modern millwright

A millwright today is someone who maintains or constructs industrial machinery for assembly lines, pumping stations and other utilities, print shops, and other industries employing fixed heavy machinery.

General duties

Millwrights are usually responsible for the unassembled equipment when it arrives at the job site. Using hoisting and moving equipment, they position the pieces that need to be assembled. Their job requires a thorough knowledge of the load bearing capabilities of the equipment they use as well as an understanding of blueprints and technical instructions.

Millwrights must be able to read blueprints and schematic drawings to determine work procedures, to construct foundations for and to assemble and dismantle machinery and equipment, using hand and power tools, and to direct workers engaged in such endeavors. In the course of work, millwrights may be required to move, assemble and install machinery and equipment such as shafting, conveyors, and tram rails, using hoists, dollies, rollers, and trucks. In addition, a millwright may also perform all duties of general laborer, pipefitter, carpenter, and sometimes electrician. A millwright may also perform some of the duties of a welder, such as arc welding, and oxyacetylene cutting.

Millwrights also must have a good understanding of fluid mechanics (hydraulics and pneumatics, and all of the components involved in these processes, such as valves, cylinders, pumps and compressors.

Modern standards of practice for millwrights also require working within precise limits or standards of accuracy, at heights without fear; the use of logical step-by-step procedures in work; planning, solving problems and decision-making based on quantifiable information.

Areas of specialty

A typical job description for an industrial maintenance mechanic (millwright) often includes the primary purposes of installing, maintaining, upgrading and fabricating machinery and equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, and other drawings in industrial establishment.

Millwrights in the power generation industry assemble, set, align and balance turbines/rotors. Millwrights also perform critical lifts involving major components to be flown level at up to and within .005” (5 thousands of an inch by use of Micrometers and or other such measuring tools). Millwrights are generally chosen to work on tasks associated with flying and setting heavy machinery.

Millwrights are also in high demand as teachers for vocational programs, both at the high school level and in post-secondary institutions. Many high schools feature fabrication courses that include metal work, where the experience of a qualified Millwright is extremely valuable. Often, these millwrights are paid a premium based on their years of field experience.

A high percentage of millwrights join unions to help protect their interests. Those with a high level of skill often start their own businesses as independent contractors.

Training

Most millwrights are educated through apprenticeship programs where they receive a combination of classroom education along with a good deal of on-the-job training. Most programs last about four years. Apprentices are usually paid a percentage of the average millwright's wage, and this percentage increases with experience.

Regional variation in practices, skills and standards

United States

Millwrights’ skill-sets have changed from region to region. Millwrights in Detroit and Ohio for example are more experienced with car conveyor and car plants in general than say millwrights out of Boston. Unlike the millwrights in Boston many other regions do not perform all of the heavy rigging on the turbine deck floor. Some regions (like Ohio) use a composite millwright / iron worker crew to fly heavy loads on the turbine decks. New England and north east regions, this is primarily, if not strictly, done with millwrights.

The UBC (United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners) recognizes that the skill-sets of industries leaving one region are a problem for having skilled Millwright’s familiar with certain types of work. So as to circumvent this problem, they created a training centre in Las Vegas, Nevada. The training facility covers many aspects such as conveyor training, gas turbine training, steam turbine training, and paper mill training. All of these programs have many prerequisite training certifications that need to be satisfied before attending each training program offered at the International Training Centre.

See also

• Stationary engineer

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