Will “Operator” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

78% Chance of Automation

“Operator” will probably be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #427 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

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Job Description

Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 51-4031.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 34,210.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 16.00
Currently, there are 192,800 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Operator”

Remove housings, feed tubes, tool holders, or other accessories to replace worn or broken parts, such as springs or bushings.
Scribe reference lines on workpieces as guides for cutting operations, according to blueprints, templates, sample parts, or specifications.
Replace defective blades or wheels, using hand tools.
Operate forklifts to deliver materials.
Hone cutters with oilstones to remove nicks.
Thread ends of metal coils from reels through slitters and secure ends on recoilers.
Hand-form, cut, or finish workpieces, using tools such as table saws, hand sledges, or anvils.
Place workpieces on cutting tables, manually or using hoists, cranes, or sledges.
Set blade tensions, heights, and angles to perform prescribed cuts, using wrenches.
Examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws.
Position, align, and secure workpieces against fixtures or stops on machine beds or on dies.
Load workpieces, plastic material, or chemical solutions into machines.
Read work orders or production schedules to determine specifications, such as materials to be used, locations of cutting lines, or dimensions and tolerances.
Install, align, and lock specified punches, dies, cutting blades, or other fixtures in rams or beds of machines, using gauges, templates, feelers, shims, and hand tools.
Plan sequences of operations, applying knowledge of physical properties of workpiece materials.
Turn valves to start flow of coolant against cutting areas or to start airflow that blows cuttings away from kerfs.
Test and adjust machine speeds or actions, according to product specifications, using gauges and hand tools.
Lubricate workpieces with oil.
Position guides, stops, holding blocks, or other fixtures to secure and direct workpieces, using hand tools and measuring devices.
Turn controls to set cutting speeds, feed rates, or table angles for specified operations.
Preheat workpieces, using heating furnaces or hand torches.
Grind out burrs or sharp edges, using portable grinders, speed lathes, or polishing jacks.
Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers.
Mark identifying data on workpieces.
Clean and lubricate machines.
Clean work area.
Start machines, monitor their operations, and record operational data.
Set stops on machine beds, change dies, and adjust components, such as rams or power presses, when making multiple or successive passes.
Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
Sharpen dulled blades, using bench grinders, abrasive wheels, or lathes.
Select, clean, and install spacers, rubber sleeves, or cutters on arbors.
Adjust ram strokes of presses to specified lengths, using hand tools.

Related Technology & Tools

Multiple punch presses
Metal chisels
Hand nibblers
Notching machines
Multi-axis computerized numerical control CNC machines
Layout scales
Portable grinders
Power saws
Anvils
Power press brakes
Gauge blocks
Handsaws
Computer terminals
Combination squares
Metal cutting dies
C clamps
Tube benders
Allen wrenches
Shear presses
Hydraulic presses
Adjustable hand wrenches
Hoisting equipment
Forming presses
Dial calipers
Labeling machines
Shearing machines
Straight screwdrivers
Blanking presses
Layout templates
Sledgehammers
Safety gloves
Transit levels
Toggle presses
Die cutting presses
Personal computers
Hobbing presses
Heating furnaces
Sheet metal hand tongs
Straightedges
Lift trucks
Slitting machines
Digital micrometers
Cutting machines
Sawing machines
Handtrucks
Gear-cutting machines
Punch presses
Shims
Crimping machines
Bench grinders
Thermal cutting machines
Protractors
Hand torches
Precision files
Metal scribers
Computerized numerical control CNC turret punching machines
Steam cleaning equipment
Overhead cranes
Claw hammers
Precision rulers
Wire brushes
Power shears
Grease guns
Turret presses
Forklifts
Bench lathes
Speed lathes
Utility knives
Pallet jacks
Abrasive wheels
Core cutters
Power guillotine cutters
Cleaning scrapers
Honing stones
Feeler gauges
Locking hand pliers
Vernier calipers
Table saws
Protective ear muffs

SAP
Autodesk AutoCAD
Microsoft Word
Computerized numerical control CNC software
Striker Systems SS-Punch
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Office
Automated inventory software