Sheetmetal Trades Worker – Filtration Products Manufacturing

About AUSFIL

Australian Liquid Filter Co. Pty Limited (AUSFIL) is one of Australia's leading designers and manufacturers of industrial filtration products, with over 50 years of experience supplying original, alternate, and replacement filter solutions to some of the world's largest industries. Located in Bexley, NSW — just 15 minutes from Sydney's International Airport — we serve clients across mining, oil & gas, shipping, power generation, food manufacturing, air conditioning, refrigeration and construction sectors.

Our manufacturing range includes HEPA filtration, lubricating oil and fuel cartridges, hydraulic cartridges, air and dust control cartridges, blower and air intake filters, oil/ mist separators, panel air filters, F4S filter assemblies, strainers, baskets, oily/water separators, mufflers and silencers, and fully custom-built filtration units.

The Role

We are seeking a trade-qualified and experienced Sheetmetal Trades Worker with demonstrated experience in the filtration manufacturing industry to join our production team in Bexley, NSW.

This is a hands-on workshop role focused on the precision marking, cutting, forming, and assembly of sheet metal components used in industrial filter housings, cartridge bodies, strainer assemblies, muffler/silencer units, and custom-built filter products. You will work predominantly with stainless steel (316 SS & 304 SS), galvanised steel, mild steel, perforated metal, expanded metal and woven wire mesh to produce components that meet strict OEM and customer specifications.

This role involves regular manual handling of heavy materials including steel coils and sheet stock. Applicants must be physically fit and capable of safely lifting and handling loads of 20–30 kg in accordance with workplace health and safety procedures.

Key Responsibilities

1. Study and interpret engineering blueprints, technical drawings, and manufacturing specifications to determine job, material, and equipment requirements
2. Select appropriate metal stock — including stainless steel, mild steel, galvanised iron, and aluminium — and verify gauges, dimensions, and tolerances against specifications
3. Mark out metal sheet stock using templates, gauges, and precision measuring instruments
4. Cut sheetmetal along guidelines using hand and power shears, guillotines, plasma cutters, and drills
5. Shape and form cut sheetmetal into filter housings, cartridge end caps, strainer baskets, muffler shells, and silencer bodies using folding and bending machines, rollers, presses, and hammers
6. Perform metal spinning operations to produce symmetrical, round filter components and housings on a spinning lathe, applying tools to shape rotating sheetmetal discs or blanks to required profiles and tolerances
7. Develop and use sheetmetal patterns including flat patterns and stretch-out developments for filter housings, tapered bodies, and transition pieces, utilising patternmaking techniques such as parallel line, radial line, and triangulation development
8. Fit and assemble sheetmetal components into finished filtration products by MIG/TIG welding, spot welding, riveting, soldering, brazing, and other joining methods
9. Apply polymer cement seals and gasket fittings to filter cartridge assemblies in accordance with product specifications
10. Finish assembled products by polishing, filing, sanding, and cleaning to required surface standards
11. Inspect completed components and assemblies for dimensional accuracy, weld integrity, and conformance to OEM and customer specifications
12. Identify, repair, or rework defective sheetmetal components as required
13. Operate and maintain workshop equipment including press brakes, rollers, shears, welding equipment, and hand tools in a safe and efficient manner
14. Comply with all WHS requirements and maintain a clean and organised workshop environment

Required Skills & Experience

1. Trade qualification: AQF Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade (Sheetmetal) or equivalent, including at least two years of on-the-job training; or at least three years of relevant documented experience in lieu of formal qualification
2. Demonstrated experience fabricating filter housings, cartridge shells, end caps, strainer bodies, or equivalent precision sheetmetal enclosures
3. Demonstrated metal spinning experience, including operating a spinning lathe to produce round symmetrical components to close tolerances
4. Sheetmetal patternmaking skills, including the ability to develop flat patterns and stretch-out layouts for complex 3D filter and housing geometries using parallel line, radial line, or triangulation methods
5. Proficiency in MIG and/or TIG welding of stainless steel, galvanised steel and mild steel sheetmetal
6. Strong ability to read, mark out from, and work to engineering drawings and technical blueprints
7. Proven experience selecting and working with stainless steel (316 SS preferred), galvanised and mild steel, perforated metal, expanded metal, and woven mesh materials
8. Physical fitness and capability to safely lift and handle loads of 20–30 kg, including steel coils, sheet stock, and fabricated assemblies, on a regular basis throughout the working day
9. High attention to detail with a commitment to dimensional accuracy and OEM specification compliance
10. Understanding of industrial filtration systems — including hydraulic, liquid, air, or dust filtration — is highly regarded

Desirable Qualifications (Not Required but Highly Regarded)

·Experience fabricating mufflers, silencers, or acoustic attenuation housings from sheetmetal

·Familiarity with filter media including polyester, polypropylene felt, microglass, synthetic non-wovens, and stainless steel woven wire mesh, galvanised woven wire mesh

·Attention to detail and precision in all aspects of work.

·Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team

What We Offer

1. Competitive salary: $80,000 – $83,000 per annum + superannuation
2. Permanent, full-time position with a long-established and respected Australian manufacturer
3. Stable, close-knit workshop team with a strong culture of quality, craftsmanship, and continuous improvement
4. Convenient Bexley location, easily accessible from across Sydney's south
5. Variety of technically interesting work across a broad range of filtration products for global industries