Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Production
You read work orders for materials, settings, and procedures, then adjust speeds, pressures, temperatures, and how much material flows through forming, pressing, or compacting machines. Control buttons start the equipment; lights and gauges show whether the run is staying within the standard. Materials and products get examined, measured, and weighed against templates, micrometers, or scales. Jams get cleared, substandard pieces come off the line, supervisors hear about extruded filaments that miss the standard, and meter readings plus quantities, types, and dimensions go into the production record. Suits people who prefer watching gauges, making small machine adjustments, and keeping a forming process on target.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$45'760
Median Wage Market Position
$45'760
What you might do
- Adjust speeds, pressures, and temperatures on forming machines
- Start extruders, presses, and compacting equipment
- Scan gauges and lights for forming problems
- Measure and weigh formed pieces against the specs
- Clear jams and pull out defective pieces
- Write down meter readings and output amounts
Skills that matter
- Regulating speed, pressure, and temperature
- Spotting faults from lights and gauges
- Weighing formed goods against standards
- Clearing jams and pulling bad product
- Keeping logs of meters and output
- Telling a supervisor when filaments fail
AI & the future of this role
Smarter controls could take over more of the steady extruding, forming, and pressing cycles once a line is tuned. Changeovers, material quirks, and keeping presses running still need on-floor judgment, so the role looks only moderately exposed.
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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