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Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic spend 1h 19m of a shift on tasks AI or robots touch; woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders spend 12m. Here is how pay, outlook and training compare.

Time card for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic: 1h 19m of an 8-hour shift touched by AI or robotsTime card: Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic →

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Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic or woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders: which will AI change more? AI and robots touch more of the day for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic: 1h 19m of an 8-hour shift, against 12m for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn more, a median of $46,330 against $43,380.

The two jobs share very close skills, including operation and control, operations monitoring, troubleshooting, so moving between them is realistic for many people.

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

Where AI or robots show up most

  • Load workpieces, plastic material, or chemical solutions into machines. 36m
  • Set stops on machine beds, change dies, and adjust components, such as rams or power presses, when making multiple or successive passes. 18m
  • Turn controls to set cutting speeds, feed rates, or table angles for specified operations. 6m

Biggest tasks still done by people

  • Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material. 1h 47m
  • Start machines, monitor their operations, and record operational data. 41m
  • Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers. 30m

Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Where AI or robots show up most

  • Attach and adjust guides, stops, clamps, chucks, or feed mechanisms, using hand tools. 12m

Biggest tasks still done by people

  • Set up, program, operate, or tend computerized or manual woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, or wood-nailing machines. 1h 28m
  • Monitor operation of machines and make adjustments to correct problems and ensure conformance to specifications. 41m
  • Examine finished workpieces for smoothness, shape, angle, depth-of-cut, or conformity to specifications and verify dimensions, visually and using hands, rules, calipers, templates, or gauges. 35m

Swap in a different job Highlighted numbers are the higher of the two. Hours are estimates from each job's time card.