Cutting, Punching, & Press Machine Setters, Operators, & Tenders, Metal & Plastic

Also called: Machine Operator, Press Operator, Saw Operator, Set-Up Operator,

What they do:

Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.

On the job, you would:

Examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws.
Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers.
Set stops on machine beds, change dies, and adjust components, such as rams or power presses, when making multiple or successive passes.

Engineering and Technology

mechanical

Manufactured or Agricultural Goods

manufacture and distribution of products

Math and Science

arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Basic Skills

keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions

Problem Solving

noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Hand and Finger Use

keep your arm or hand steady
hold or move items with your hands

Controlled Movement

quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat
use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

They do well at jobs that need:

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Independence
Initiative
Integrity
Self Control

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software

Microsoft Excel

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Computer aided manufacturing CAM software

Striker Systems SS-Punch

high school diploma/GED
certificate after high school

usually needed

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

$35,610

$24,920

$53,520