Careers > Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

$38.91K Median Salary 7.5K Job Openings (Annual Projection) -3.3% Job Growth

Find Colleges for this Career Find Certificates for this Career

About This Career

Set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic work pieces.

Reported Job Titles

Cell Operator, Centerless Grinder Operator, Deburrer, Die Maintenance Technician, Finisher, Grinder, Grinder Operator, Grinding Machine Operator, Process Equipment Operator

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

Click on skills to find related courses.

Abilities

Control Precision

Manual Dexterity

Near Vision

Problem Sensitivity

Reaction Time

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Multilimb Coordination

Perceptual Speed

Rate Control

Deductive Reasoning

Depth Perception

Far Vision

Finger Dexterity

Flexibility of Closure

Information Ordering

Selective Attention

Static Strength

Trunk Strength

Visualization

Written Comprehension

Auditory Attention

Inductive Reasoning

Oral Comprehension

Oral Expression

Wrist-Finger Speed

Knowledge

Production and Processing

Skills

Operation and Control

Operations Monitoring

Quality Control Analysis

Monitoring

Reading Comprehension

Critical Thinking

Judgment and Decision Making

Speaking

Troubleshooting

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Office suite software

Operating system software

Computer aided design CAD software

Inventory management software

Industrial control software

Tools

Surface grinding machine

Calipers

Thickness measuring devices

Micrometers

Buffing machine

Radius gauge

Hoists

Comparators

Chamfering machine

Vibratory or barrel finishing machine

Bench clamp

Overhead crane

Metal polishing machine

Deburring tool

Precision surface plate

Chuck keys

Hole gauge

Gage block set

Binocular light compound microscopes

Angle grinder

Coordinate measuring machines CMM

Abilities

Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
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.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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.
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.
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.
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.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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.
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.
Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
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).
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
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.
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.
Auditory Attention: The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
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.
Wrist-Finger Speed: The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.

Knowledge

Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

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
Operating system software: Microsoft Windows
Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD; Autodesk Revit
Inventory management software: Assisi Software Assisi Inventory
Industrial control software: Industrial Scientific iNET; QuestSuite Professional