Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Production
Machines that crush, grind, polish, or blend coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber are started, stopped, and adjusted from the controls, while pumps and conveyors move material through the line. The equipment is watched so flow stays continuous and safe; malfunctions get spotted early, and needed repairs go to a supervisor. Weights and measures are taken at set intervals, defective product is rejected, and the machine is readjusted. Cleaning and hand-tool upkeep sit alongside writing down production and test figures. Suits people who like standing at a machine, catching problems early, and keeping output within set limits.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$48'540
Median Wage Market Position
$48'540
What you might do
- Start, stop, and adjust crushers, grinders, or polishers
- Observe crushers and grinders for jams or faults
- Feed materials with pumps and conveyor lines
- Weigh batches at set times to match requirements
- Clean and service machines with hand tools
- Reject bad product and retune the equipment
Skills that matter
- Scanning crushers and grinders for trouble
- Starting, stopping, and tuning grinding machines
- Weighing loads against production requirements
- Pulling defective crushed or polished product
- Telling supervisors a machine needs repair
- Writing down production and test figures
AI & the future of this role
Routine crushing, grinding, and polishing cycles are strong candidates for further machine automation and remote monitoring. Changeovers, wear troubleshooting, and keeping output within spec still tend to need experienced operators on site.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details