Careers > Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

$47.02K Median Salary 2.2K Job Openings (Annual Projection) -4.2% Job Growth

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About This Career

Set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.

Reported Job Titles

Computer Numerical Control Lathe Operator (CNC Lathe Operator), Lathe Operator, Lathe Set Up Person, Machine Operator, Numerical Control Operator (NC Operator), Screw Machine Operator, Screw Machine Tool Setter, Setup Operator, Turn Operator

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Skills You'll Need

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Abilities

Control Precision

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Finger Dexterity

Near Vision

Reaction Time

Manual Dexterity

Problem Sensitivity

Deductive Reasoning

Selective Attention

Static Strength

Trunk Strength

Information Ordering

Multilimb Coordination

Oral Comprehension

Oral Expression

Rate Control

Visualization

Written Comprehension

Knowledge

Mathematics

Mechanical

English Language

Skills

Operations Monitoring

Operation and Control

Monitoring

Quality Control Analysis

Active Listening

Reading Comprehension

Technology Skills

Object or component oriented development software

Industrial control software

Inventory management software

Tools

Automatic lathe or chucking machine

Tool template sets

Lathe bit

Calipers

Dial indicator or dial gauge

Comparators

Turret lathe

Gage block set

Tool holders

Go or no go gauge

Two way radios

Drill gauge

Bench grinder

Micrometers

Boring tool

Screwdrivers

Tape measures

Grease guns

Radius gauge

Thread pitch gauge

Hoists

Facial shields

Safety glasses

Horizontal turning center

Vertical machining center

Forklifts

Compasses

Squares

End mills

Overhead crane

Allen wrench

Protective gloves

Rulers

Conveyor feeders

Threading insert

Height gauges

Milling vise

Ear plugs

Oil can

Combination square

Sine bar

Vertical turning center

Open end wrenches

Protractors

Tapping machine attachment

Ball peen hammer

Insert carbide

Adjustable wrenches

Chucks

Threading machine attachment

Rubber mallet

Hole gauge

Taper gauge

Power saws

Hacksaw

T handle tap wrenches

Coordinate measuring machines CMM

Spanner wrenches

Straight edges

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.
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.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
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.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Knowledge

Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
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.

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.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Technology Skills

Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java
Industrial control software: Industrial Scientific iNET; QuestSuite Professional
Inventory management software: Assisi Software Assisi Inventory

Tools

Automatic lathe or chucking machine: Bench lathes
Tool template sets: Center finders; Electronic edge finders; Mechanical edge finders; Tool probes
Lathe bit: Cutoff tools; Face/turn tools; Groove tools; Parting off tools
Calipers: Dial calipers; Digital calipers; Vernier calipers
Dial indicator or dial gauge: Dial indicators
Comparators: Optical comparators
Turret lathe: Turret lathes
Gage block set: Gage block sets
Tool holders: Hexagon bit adaptors
Go or no go gauge: Plug gauges
Two way radios:
Drill gauge: Drill gauges; Wire drill gauges
Bench grinder: Bench grinders
Micrometers:
Boring tool: Bore tools
Screwdrivers: Mini screwdriver sets
Tape measures: Diameter tape measures
Grease guns:
Radius gauge: Diameter gauges; Digital radius gauges
Thread pitch gauge: Thread ring gauges
Hoists: Hoisting equipment
Facial shields: Protective face shields
Safety glasses: Protective safety glasses
Horizontal turning center: Turning lathes
Vertical machining center: Vertical machining centers
Forklifts:
Compasses:
Squares:
End mills:
Overhead crane: Electric overhead traveling EOT cranes
Allen wrench: Allen wrench sets
Protective gloves: Safety gloves
Rulers: Precision rulers; Steel rules
Conveyor feeders: Gravimetric feeders; Polymer feed systems
Threading insert: Hand taps
Height gauges:
Milling vise: Precision milling vises
Ear plugs: Protective ear plugs
Oil can: Oil dispensing cans
Combination square: Combination square sets
Sine bar: Compound sine bars
Vertical turning center: Computer numerical control CNC vertical lathes; Vertical spindle mills
Open end wrenches: Adjustable open end wrenches
Protractors:
Tapping machine attachment: Tapping tools
Ball peen hammer: Ball peen hammers
Insert carbide: Carbide cutting inserts
Adjustable wrenches: Adjustable hand wrenches
Chucks: Angled air chucks
Threading machine attachment: Threading tools
Rubber mallet: Rubber mallets
Hole gauge: Small hole gauges
Taper gauge: Taper gauges
Power saws: Chain saws
Hacksaw: Hacksaws
T handle tap wrenches: Tap wrenches
Coordinate measuring machines CMM: Verisurf 3Dgage; Verisurf CMM Master
Spanner wrenches:
Straight edges: Straightedges