Home / Tasks / Trim excess material from workpieces
In 1 of the 27 jobs that do this, AI or robots already show up on it, most often as robots doing it. In the other 26, there's no evidence yet. Jobs spend a median of 24m of an 8-hour shift on it, and about 1.3 million U.S. workers hold these jobs.
26No evidence yet
1Robots
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 FinishersAttach, alter, and trim materials such as wire, insulation, and coils, using hand tools. | 1h 12m | No evidence yet |
| Wood Model MakersTrim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools. | 1h 9m | No evidence yet |
| Wood PatternmakersTrim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools. | 1h 7m | No evidence yet |
| Hand Cutters and TrimmersTrim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish. | 55m | No evidence yet |
| Dental Laboratory TechniciansRemove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines. | 53m | No evidence yet |
| Grinding and Polishing Workers, HandTrim, scrape, or deburr objects or parts, using chisels, scrapers, and other hand tools and equipment. | 48m | No evidence yet |
| Stone Cutters and Carvers, ManufacturingShape, trim, or touch up roughed-out designs with appropriate tools to finish carvings. | 45m | No evidence yet |
| Molders, Shapers, and CastersTrim or remove excess material, using scrapers, knives, or band saws. | 36m | No evidence yet |
| Metal Pourers and CastersSkim slag or remove excess metal from ingots or equipment, using hand tools, strainers, rakes, or burners, collecting scrap for recycling. | 36m | Robots |
| Print Binding and Finishing WorkersTrim edges of books to size, using cutting machines, book trimming machines, or hand cutters. | 36m | No evidence yet |
| Hand SewersTrim excess threads or edges of parts, using scissors or knives. | 32m | No evidence yet |
| Fiberglass Laminators and FabricatorsTrim excess materials from molds, using hand shears or trimming knives. | 31m | No evidence yet |
| Shoe and Leather Workers and RepairersDress and otherwise finish boots or shoes, as by trimming the edges of new soles and heels to the shoe shape. | 25m | No evidence yet |
| Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersCut timber to the right size, and shape and trim parts of joints to ensure a snug fit, using hand tools, such as planes, chisels, or wood files. | 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 |
| Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersCut, trim, file, bend, or smooth parts to ensure proper fit and clearance. | 23m | No evidence yet |
| Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticTrim and compress finished forgings to specified tolerances. | 23m | No evidence yet |
| Sewing Machine OperatorsCut excess material or thread from finished products. | 19m | No evidence yet |
| Tire BuildersTrim excess rubber and imperfections during retreading processes. | 19m | No evidence yet |
| Shoe Machine Operators and TendersCut excess thread or material from shoe parts, using scissors or knives. | 19m | 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 |
| Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodTrim lumber to straighten rough edges or remove defects, using circular saws. | 17m | No evidence yet |
| Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom SewersTrim excess material, using scissors. | 14m | 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 |
| Etchers and EngraversRemove wax or tape from etched glassware by using a stylus or knife, or by immersing ware in hot water. | 7m | No evidence yet |
| Helpers for Production WorkersCut or break flashing from materials or products. | 6m | No evidence yet |
| Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersTrim wood parts according to specifications, using planes, chisels, or wood files or sanders. | 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.