Billy Johns
Foundations of Engineering
2nd Sweigart
15 November 2010
A common career that has to do with pneumatic systems is a pneumatic technician. A pneumatic technician maintains and repairs systems that use air to carry power between places, a pneumatic system. The technician makes sure that all parts of the system are in check and fulfilling their task in the system to their highest ability. If anything is broken, damaged, or malfunctioning, it is up to the pneumatic technician to fix the problem immediately. Pneumatic technicians also may deal with hydraulics in their job as well as just pneumatics because the two are so similar with each other.
A required prerequisite for becoming a pneumatic technician is a high school graduation degree, but many firms may require a college degree in mechanics, industrial technology, or a related field to fluid power. To be a pneumatic technician, one must go through around two years of training. Training for the job is hands-on because one will not know how to properly work a pneumatic system without experience working the pneumatic system. When training is completed, the Fluid Power Society, or FPS, gives the graduate credit and a completion certificate.
The average annual salary for a pneumatic technician ranges anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000. Younger technicians will probably earn in the $20,000 to $30,000 range; whereas, an experienced technician would earn around $30,000 to $50,000 a year. The salary is mainly influenced by kind of job, location, education, and experience.
A pneumatic technician does not travel too much because they typically work in the factory, plant, or firm to maintain the system constantly. The technician must study to keep up with advancements in fluid power and to know the terminology of what they are doing to maintain the system, including math and science.
References
"Hydraulic and Pneumatic Technician Job Description." StateUniversity.com. State
References: "Hydraulic and Pneumatic Technician Job Description." StateUniversity.com. State University, 2010. Web. 18 Nov 2010. <http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/365/Hydraulic- Pneumatic-Technician.html>.