Home / Tasks / Operate metal or plastic forming equipment
In 3 of the 16 jobs that do this, AI or robots already show up on it, most often as robots doing it. In the other 13, there's no evidence yet. Jobs spend a median of 47m of an 8-hour shift on it, and about 1.5 million U.S. workers hold these jobs.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersOperate or tend wire-coiling machines to wind wire coils used in electrical components such as resistors and transformers, and in electrical equipment and instruments such as bobbins and generators. | 2h 18m | No evidence yet |
| 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 |
| Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass FibersSet up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form filaments from synthetic materials such as rayon, fiberglass, or liquid polymers. | 1h 24m | Robots |
| Model Makers, Metal and PlasticSet up and operate machines, such as lathes, drill presses, punch presses, or bandsaws, to fabricate prototypes or models. | 1h 8m | No evidence yet |
| MachinistsSet up, adjust, or operate basic or specialized machine tools used to perform precision machining operations. | 1h 4m | No evidence yet |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersAdjust machine components to regulate speeds, pressures, and temperatures, and amounts, dimensions, and flow of materials or ingredients. | 53m | Robots |
| Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticStart machines and set controls to regulate vacuum, air pressure, sizing rings, and temperature, and to synchronize speed of extrusion. | 47m | No evidence yet |
| Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticAdjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances. | 47m | No evidence yet |
| Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticAdjust and correct machine set-ups to reduce thicknesses, reshape products, and eliminate product defects. | 41m | No evidence yet |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSet up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products. | 36m | No evidence yet |
| Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticStart machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conform to specifications. | 23m | 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 |
| Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersFabricate parts needed for assembly or installation, using shop machinery or equipment. | 12m | No evidence yet |
| Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticAdjust ram strokes of presses to specified lengths, using hand tools. | 6m | No evidence yet |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersOperate metal shaping, straightening, and bending machines, such as brakes and shears. | 6m | No evidence yet |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSelect the proper coolants and lubricants and start their flow. | 6m | Robots |
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.