A professional who operates power press equipped with pressure blocks or dies to straighten warped or bent metal objects, such as plates, structural castings, shapes, forgings, and shafts to specified dimensions. Respnsibilities include:

• Examines workpiece to locate defects, using such devices as straightedge, deflection gauge, template, and square.
• Positions and locks specified pressure blocks, or die, into ram of machine, or positions shims under high spots of workpiece.
• Lifts and positions workpiece into bed of machine manually or using jib or crane.
• Starts ram which presses out bent or high spots of workpiece.
• Reexamines and repositions workpiece, changing shims for each pass until workpiece conforms with specifications.
• May turn levers or handwheels to adjust depth and pressure of ram.
• May preheat metal, using heating furnace or hand torch and clean dies between pressings, using compressed air, oil, and brush.
• May tend machine equipped with preset dies to bend metal to specified shapes.
• May grind rough edges from finished workpiece, using portable hand grinder.
• May be designated according to part straightened as barrel straightener ii; crankshaft straightener; gear straightener; or according to type press operated as gag-press straightener.