Home / Tasks / Operate grinding equipment
In 3 of the 31 jobs that do this, AI or robots already show up on it, most often as robots doing it. In the other 28, there's no evidence yet. Jobs spend a median of 25m of an 8-hour shift on it, and about 4.7 million U.S. workers hold these jobs.
28No evidence yet
3Robots
Every job that does this
Each job words the task its own way. Minutes are that job's estimate for a typical shift; the label is the evidence for that job's version.
| Job and its version of the task | Per shift | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Tool and Die MakersSet up and operate conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bore, grind, or otherwise shape parts to prescribed dimensions and finishes. | 2h 3m | No evidence yet |
| Gem and Diamond WorkersHold stones, gems, dies, or styluses against rotating plates, wheels, saws, or slitters to cut, shape, slit, grind, or polish them. | 1h 47m | No evidence yet |
| Patternmakers, Metal and PlasticSet up and operate machine tools, such as milling machines, lathes, drill presses, and grinders, to machine castings or patterns. | 1h 41m | No evidence yet |
| MachinistsMachine parts to specifications, using machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, shapers, or grinders. | 1h 34m | No evidence yet |
| Furniture FinishersSmooth, shape, and touch up surfaces to prepare them for finishing, using sandpaper, pumice stones, steel wool, chisels, sanders, or grinders. | 1h 17m | No evidence yet |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSet up and operate machines, such as lathes, cutters, shears, borers, millers, grinders, presses, drills, or auxiliary machines, to make metallic and plastic workpieces. | 1h 16m | No evidence yet |
| Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSet up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic workpieces. | 1h | No evidence yet |
| Tool Grinders, Filers, and SharpenersMonitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur. | 49m | Robots |
| Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersSet up and operate fabricating machines, such as brakes, rolls, shears, flame cutters, grinders, and drill presses, to bend, cut, form, punch, drill, or otherwise form and assemble metal components. | 41m | No evidence yet |
| Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersMove controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment that crushes, grinds, polishes, or blends materials. | 40m | Robots |
| Crematory OperatorsPulverize remaining bone fragments into smaller pieces, using specialized equipment, such as a cremulator or grinder. | 39m | No evidence yet |
| Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and FinishersOperate and maintain finishing machines to grind, drill, sand, bevel, decorate, wash, or polish glass or glass products. | 39m | No evidence yet |
| Medical Appliance TechniciansPolish artificial limbs, braces, or supports, using grinding and buffing wheels. | 31m | No evidence yet |
| Model Makers, Metal and PlasticGrind, file, and sand parts to finished dimensions. | 31m | No evidence yet |
| Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticReplace worn tools, and sharpen dull cutting tools and dies, using bench grinders or cutter-grinding machines. | 29m | No evidence yet |
| Recycling and Reclamation WorkersOperate processing equipment, such as fiber-sorters and grinders, to sort, crush, or grind recyclable materials. | 25m | Robots |
| Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticReplace worn tools, using hand tools, and sharpen dull tools, using bench grinders. | 24m | No evidence yet |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersChip or grind off excess weld, slag, or spatter, using hand scrapers or power chippers, portable grinders, or arc-cutting equipment. | 24m | No evidence yet |
| Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersPrepare metal surfaces or workpieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills. | 24m | No evidence yet |
| Ophthalmic Laboratory TechniciansSet dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually. | 20m | No evidence yet |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticTrim excess material from parts, using knives, and grind scrap plastic into powder for reuse. | 18m | No evidence yet |
| Grinding and Polishing Workers, HandMove controls to adjust, start, or stop equipment during grinding and polishing processes. | 18m | No evidence yet |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersOperate auxiliary machines and equipment, such as grinders, canners, and molding presses, to prepare or further process products. | 13m | No evidence yet |
| Hand Cutters and TrimmersClean, treat, buff, or polish finished items, using grinders, brushes, chisels, and cleaning solutions and polishing materials. | 12m | No evidence yet |
| Engine and Other Machine AssemblersSet up and operate metalworking machines, such as milling or grinding machines, to shape or fabricate parts. | 12m | No evidence yet |
| Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticActivate shears and grinders to trim workpieces. | 12m | No evidence yet |
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticRemove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines. | 12m | No evidence yet |
| Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSharpen cutting tools, using bench grinders. | 6m | No evidence yet |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersSharpen cutting blades, knives, or saws, using files, bench grinders, or honing stones. | 6m | No evidence yet |
| Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticGrind out burrs or sharp edges, using portable grinders, speed lathes, or polishing jacks. | 6m | No evidence yet |
| Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSharpen cutting tools and drill bits, using bench grinders. | 6m | No evidence yet |
How to read this
This task type comes from O*NET's detailed work activities, which link similar tasks across jobs. A label applies to one job's version of the task: AI use comes from real AI conversations (Anthropic Economic Index) and robot evidence from deployments in real workplaces. "No evidence yet" may just mean the task is rare in the data. How we keep time.
See all 250 shared tasks, or find any job on the big clock.