Home / Career Explorer / Production

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)	Projected Growth (2023-2033)
National Statistics	$48,620	1700	-11.4%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$48,620

Median Wage (USD, 2023)

1700

Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)

-11.4%

Projected Growth (2023-2033)

Set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

Detailed Work Activities

Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
Operate metal or plastic forming equipment.
Set equipment controls to meet cutting specifications.
Monitor equipment operation to ensure that products are not flawed.
Operate cutting equipment.
Select production equipment according to product specifications.
Conduct test runs of production equipment.
Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
Lift materials or workpieces using cranes or other lifting equipment.
Operate grinding equipment.
Sharpen cutting or grinding tools.
Replace worn equipment components.
Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
Calculate dimensions of workpieces, products, or equipment.
Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
Install mechanical components in production equipment.
Feed materials or products into or through equipment.
Adjust equipment controls to regulate coolant flow.
Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
Perform basic equipment maintenance.
Program equipment to perform production tasks.
Program robotic equipment.
Clean work areas.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances.
Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces.
Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material requirements and operational sequences.
Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators.
Replace worn tools, and sharpen dull cutting tools and dies, using bench grinders or cutter-grinding machines.
Move toolholders manually or by turning handwheels, or engage automatic feeding mechanisms to feed tools to and along workpieces.
Compute unspecified dimensions and machine settings, using knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.
Crank machines through cycles, stopping to adjust tool positions and machine controls to ensure specified timing, clearances, and tolerances.
Position, secure, and align cutting tools in toolholders on machines, using hand tools, and verify their positions with measuring instruments.
Start lathe or turning machines and observe operations to ensure that specifications are met.
Program computer numerical control machines.
Refill, change, and monitor the level of fluids, such as oil and coolant, in machines.
Clean work area.
Lift metal stock or workpieces manually or using hoists, and position and secure them in machines, using fasteners and hand tools.
Install holding fixtures, cams, gears, and stops to control stock and tool movement, using hand tools, power tools, and measuring instruments.
Select cutting tools and tooling instructions, according to written specifications or knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.
Mount attachments, such as relieving or tracing attachments, to perform operations, such as duplicating contours of templates or trimming workpieces.
Turn valve handles to direct the flow of coolant onto work areas or to coat disks with spinning compounds.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Session has been expired