Careers > Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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

$39.34K Median Salary 17.6K Job Openings (Annual Projection) -2.5% Job Growth

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About This Career

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

Reported Job Titles

Die Setter, Fabrication Operator, Machine Operator, Machine Setter, Press Operator, Punch Press Operator, Saw Operator, Set-Up Operator, Slitter Operator

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

Click on skills to find related courses.

Abilities

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Control Precision

Near Vision

Manual Dexterity

Problem Sensitivity

Reaction Time

Information Ordering

Multilimb Coordination

Selective Attention

Trunk Strength

Deductive Reasoning

Finger Dexterity

Perceptual Speed

Rate Control

Written Comprehension

Depth Perception

Far Vision

Inductive Reasoning

Oral Comprehension

Oral Expression

Speech Recognition

Static Strength

Visualization

Knowledge

Mechanical

Production and Processing

Mathematics

Skills

Operations Monitoring

Operation and Control

Monitoring

Quality Control Analysis

Active Listening

Critical Thinking

Speaking

Troubleshooting

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software

Electronic mail software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Computer aided manufacturing CAM software

Office suite software

Word processing software

Computer aided design CAD software

Data base user interface and query software

Inventory management software

Industrial control software

Tools

Hydraulic press brake

Drill press or radial drill

Cutting machines

Metal shearing machine

Calipers

Open die forging press

Power grinders

Mainframe console or dumb terminals

Hex keys

Track cranes

Double ended stud

Micrometers

Screwdrivers

Cold chisels

Nibblers

Induction heaters

Multi-tasking or universal machining center

Hydraulic press frames

Hoists

Blow torch

Cutting die

Acoustic ear muffs or defenders

Scribers

Horizontal turning center

Forklifts

Squares

Tongs

Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe

Bending machines

Hand trucks or accessories

Gear cutting tool

Protective gloves

Rulers

Precision file

Label making machines

Pallet trucks

Tube bending machine

Pressure or steam cleaners

Locking pliers

Sledge hammer

Shears

Punching pliers

Adjustable wrenches

Scales

Straight edges

Saws

Sharpening stones or tools or kits

Gage block set

Claw hammer

Level sensors or transmitters

Power saws

Templates

Abrasive drums

C clamps

Grease guns

Sawing machines

Cleaning scrapers

Utility knives

Anvils

Protractors

Wire brushes

Feeler gauges

Personal computers

Abilities

Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Trunk Strength: The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Rate Control: The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Depth Perception: The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Knowledge

Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills

Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Electronic mail software: IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook
Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; Oracle PeopleSoft; Oracle PeopleSoft Financials; SAP software
Computer aided manufacturing CAM software: 1CadCam Unigraphics; Geometric CAMWorks; Siemens NX
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD; Autodesk Revit
Data base user interface and query software: Blackboard software; Database software; Microsoft Access; Yardi software
Inventory management software: Assisi Software Assisi Inventory
Industrial control software: Industrial Scientific iNET; QuestSuite Professional

Tools

Hydraulic press brake: Hydraulic squeezers
Drill press or radial drill: Drill presses; Punch presses; Radial drills
Cutting machines: Slitters
Metal shearing machine: Hot log shears; Metal shearing machines
Calipers: Dial calipers; Digital calipers; Vernier calipers
Open die forging press: Die spotting presses
Power grinders: Underwater power grinders
Mainframe console or dumb terminals: Computer terminals
Hex keys: Allen wrenches; Hex wrenches
Track cranes: Overhead cranes
Double ended stud: Shims
Micrometers:
Screwdrivers: Mini screwdriver sets
Cold chisels: Flat cold chisels
Nibblers:
Induction heaters: Bearing heating ovens
Multi-tasking or universal machining center: Multi-axis computerized numerical control CNC machines
Hydraulic press frames: Hydraulic hot presses
Hoists: Hoisting equipment
Blow torch: Underwater blow torches
Cutting die: Cutting dies
Acoustic ear muffs or defenders: Protective ear muffs
Scribers: Scriber markers
Horizontal turning center: Turning lathes
Forklifts:
Squares:
Tongs:
Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe: Lathes
Bending machines: Automatic rebar tying tools; Portable hydraulic rod benders
Hand trucks or accessories: Handcarts
Gear cutting tool: Gear hobbers
Protective gloves: Safety gloves
Rulers: Precision rulers; Steel rules
Precision file: Non-conductive files
Label making machines: Label makers
Pallet trucks: Pallet jacks
Tube bending machine: Tube benders
Pressure or steam cleaners: Pressure cleaners
Locking pliers: Channel lock pliers; Vise grip pliers
Sledge hammer: Steel sledge hammers
Shears: Metal shears
Punching pliers: Core cutters
Adjustable wrenches: Adjustable hand wrenches
Scales: Triangular scales
Straight edges: Straightedges
Saws: Multi-purpose saw sets
Sharpening stones or tools or kits: File sharpeners
Gage block set: Gage block sets
Claw hammer: Claw hammers
Level sensors or transmitters: Level transmitters
Power saws: Chain saws
Templates: Machine templates
Abrasive drums: Abrasive wheels
C clamps:
Grease guns:
Sawing machines: Miter saws; Multiple blade sawing machines
Cleaning scrapers:
Utility knives: Precision knives
Anvils: Slaters' anvils
Protractors:
Wire brushes: Wire cleaning brushes
Feeler gauges: Angled feeler gauges
Personal computers: