Careers > Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

$42.45K Median Salary 700 Job Openings (Annual Projection) -15.4% Job Growth

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About This Career

Set up, operate, or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill, or countersink metal or plastic work pieces.

Reported Job Titles

Bore Mill Operator, CNC Drilling Operator (Computer Numerical Control Drilling Operator), CNC Machinist (Computer Numerical Control Machinist), Drill Operator, Drill Press Operator, Drill Setup Operator, Machine Operator, Punch Operator, Radial Drill Operator, Setup Mill Operator

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Skills You'll Need

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Abilities

Control Precision

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Near Vision

Finger Dexterity

Information Ordering

Manual Dexterity

Problem Sensitivity

Reaction Time

Selective Attention

Oral Comprehension

Rate Control

Visualization

Written Comprehension

Category Flexibility

Deductive Reasoning

Far Vision

Inductive Reasoning

Oral Expression

Perceptual Speed

Written Expression

Knowledge

Mathematics

Production and Processing

Mechanical

English Language

Engineering and Technology

Education and Training

Design

Administration and Management

Skills

Operations Monitoring

Monitoring

Operation and Control

Reading Comprehension

Active Listening

Complex Problem Solving

Critical Thinking

Judgment and Decision Making

Speaking

Time Management

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Office suite software

Word processing software

Inventory management software

Industrial control software

Tools

Drill press or radial drill

Boring machines

Gage block set

Mainframe console or dumb terminals

Double ended stud

Micrometers

Horizontal boring machine

Calipers

Bench vises

Hoists

Acoustic ear muffs or defenders

Surface gauge

Hold down clamps

Scribers

Tapping machine

Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe

Rulers

Power grinders

Loupes

Precision file

Punches or nail sets or drifts

Ball peen hammer

Deburring tool

Telescoping gauge

Adjustable wrenches

Scales

Positioning jig

Go or no go gauge

Safety glasses

Utility knives

Height gauges

Personal computers

Abilities

Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
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.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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.
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).
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.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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.
Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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 Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Knowledge

Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Engineering and Technology: Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Design: Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Skills

Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; Oracle PeopleSoft; Oracle PeopleSoft Financials; SAP software
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Inventory management software: Assisi Software Assisi Inventory
Industrial control software: Industrial Scientific iNET; QuestSuite Professional

Tools

Drill press or radial drill: Drill presses; Punch presses; Radial drills
Boring machines: Boring bars; Computerized numerical control CNC boring machines; Line boring machines; Screw pocket machines
Gage block set: Gage block sets
Mainframe console or dumb terminals: Computer terminals
Double ended stud: Shims
Micrometers:
Horizontal boring machine: Boring bars; Horizontal boring mills
Calipers: Dial calipers; Digital calipers; Vernier calipers
Bench vises: Vises
Hoists: Hoisting equipment
Acoustic ear muffs or defenders: Protective ear muffs
Surface gauge: Surface gauges
Hold down clamps: Holding clamps
Scribers: Scriber markers
Tapping machine: Horizontal tapping machines; Semi-automatic tapping machines
Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe: Lathes
Rulers: Precision rulers; Steel rules
Power grinders: Underwater power grinders
Loupes: Jewelers' loupes
Precision file: Non-conductive files
Punches or nail sets or drifts: Mini punch sets
Ball peen hammer: Ball peen hammers
Deburring tool: Deburring tools
Telescoping gauge: Telescoping gauges
Adjustable wrenches: Adjustable hand wrenches
Scales: Triangular scales
Positioning jig: Sharpening jigs
Go or no go gauge: Plug gauges
Safety glasses: Protective safety glasses
Utility knives: Precision knives
Height gauges:
Personal computers: