SABC Education

Automotive machinist on 16 April 2013

Automotive machinist on 16 April 2013

An Automotive Machinist is a trained metalworker who is skilled to renew or build internal combustion engines and engine components according to the manufacturer's specifications.  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. This process includes the dismantling and cleaning of the engine, grinding various parts and manufacturing and fitting others. Automotive machinists inspect all the components thoroughly for cracks and other faults, then clean and rebuild 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 if 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. We take a look at Jacob Selekenyane who has studied fitting and turning and has a passion for assembling and disassembling cars.