Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Production
Job orders and blueprints set the specs and the order of operations across more than one machine. Stock is positioned and clamped in chucks, fixtures, or feeders, by hand or with a hoist, then drills, cutters, dies, and guides are installed and aligned. Lathes, shears, borers, mills, grinders, presses, and drills, or a robot, run the cuts and forms; stops and guides are set to length, and worn tools get swapped. Workpieces are measured against rules or templates, and the machines are watched for defects or faults that need an adjustment. Suited to a preference for switching among setups, checking dimensions, and keeping several machines on spec.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$47'180
Median Wage Market Position
$47'180
What you might do
- Run several kinds of cutting and forming machines
- Check workpieces with rules and templates for accuracy
- Fit stock into chucks, fixtures, or automatic feeders
- Install and align drills, cutters, and dies
- Watch for defects and adjust the machines
- Change worn cutting tools with hand tools
Skills that matter
- Reading job orders for tooling sequences
- Aligning drills, cutters, and holding devices
- Measuring workpieces with rules and templates
- Replacing worn cutting tools and brushes
- Watching several machines for defects
- Hearing when a machine needs adjustment
AI & the future of this role
Operating several programmed tools at once leaves much of the cycle time open to advanced controls and robotic tending. Setup skill and troubleshooting still matter, but demand for purely machine-watching roles may soften as lines grow more autonomous.
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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