Will “Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

78% Chance of Automation

“Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic” 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

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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