• A few weeks of on-the-job training is sufficient for most workers to learn basic machine operations, but several years are required to become a skilled operator.
• Employment of most operators is expected to decline, while employment of multiple machine tool operators is projected to grow.

In general, these workers can be separated into two groups—those who set up machines for operation and those who tend the machines during production. Setup workers prepare the machines prior to production and may adjust the machinery during operation. Operators and tenders, on the other hand, primarily monitor the machinery during operation, sometimes loading or unloading the machine or making minor adjustments to the controls. Many workers both set up and operate equipment. Because the setup process requires an understanding of the entire production process, setters usually have more training and are more highly skilled than those who simply operate or tend machinery. As new automation simplifies the setup process, however, less skilled workers also are increasingly able to set up machines for operation.

Setters, operators, tenders, and setup operators usually are identified by the type of machine with which they work. Some examples of specific titles are drilling and boring machine toolsetters, milling and planing machine tenders, and lathe and turning-machine tool operators. Job duties usually vary based on the size of the firm and on the type of machine being operated. Although some workers specialize in one or two types of machinery, many are trained to set up or operate a variety of machines. Newer production techniques require machine operators to rotate between, and be proficient with, different machines. The rotating of assignments allows workers more varied work, but also requires them to have a wider range of skills.

Metalworking-machine setters and operators set up and tend machines that cut and form all types of metal parts. Traditionally, setup workers plan and set up the sequence of operations according to blueprints, layouts, or other instructions. They adjust speed, feed, and other controls; choose the proper coolants and lubricants; and select the instruments or tools for each operation. Using micrometers, gauges, and other precision measuring instruments, they also may compare the completed work with the tolerance limits stated in the specifications.

Although there are many different types of metalworking machine tools that require specific knowledge and skills, most operators perform similar tasks. Whether tending grinding machines that remove excess material from the surface of machined products or presses that extrude metal through a die to form wire, operators usually perform simple, repetitive operations that can be learned quickly. Typically, these workers place metal stock in a machine on which the operating specifications have already been set. They may watch one or more machines and make minor adjustments according to their instructions. Regardless of the type of machine they operate, machine tenders usually depend on skilled setup workers for major adjustments when the machines are not functioning properly.

Plastics-working machine operators set up and tend machines that transform plastic compounds—chemical-based products that can be produced in powder, pellet, or syrup form—into a wide variety of consumer goods such as toys, tubing, and auto parts. These products are manufactured using various methods, of which injection molding is the most common. The injection-molding machine heats and liquefies a plastic compound and forces it into a mold. After the part has cooled and hardened, the mold opens and the part is released. Many common kitchen products are produced using this method. To produce long parts such as pipes or window frames, an extruding machine usually is employed. These machines force a plastic compound through a die that contains an opening of the desired shape of the final product. Blow molding is another common plastics-working technique. Blow-molding machines force hot air into a mold that contains a plastic tube. As the air moves into the mold, the plastic tube is inflated to the shape of the mold, and a plastic container is formed. The familiar 2-liter soft drink bottles are produced using this method.

Workers in three different specialized occupations operate injection-molding machines: tenders, operators, and setters. Most other types of plastic machines function in a similar manner. Tenders remove the cooled plastic from the mold, loading the product into boxes. Operators monitor the many gauges on injection-molding machines, adjusting different inputs, pressures, and speeds to maintain quality. A typical injection-molding machine may have 25 different controls that can be adjusted. Setters or technicians set up the machines prior to operations. They are responsible for repairing any major problem.

Most metalworking and plastics-working machine operators work a 40-hour week, but overtime is common during periods of increased production. Because many metalworking and plastics-working shops operate more than one shift daily, some operators work nights and weekends.

The complexity of the equipment largely determines the time required to become an operator. Most operators learn the basic machine operations and functions in a few weeks, but they may need several years to become skilled operators or to advance to the more highly skilled job of setter.

Setters or technicians normally need a thorough knowledge of the machinery and of the products being manufactured because they often plan the sequence of work, make the first production run, and determine which adjustments need to be made. Strong analytical abilities are particularly important to perform this job. Some companies have formal training programs for operators and setters, which combine classroom instruction with on-the-job training.

Although no special education is required for most operating jobs, employers prefer to hire applicants with good basic skills. Many require employees to have a high school education and to read, write, and speak English. Because machinery is becoming more complex and shop-floor organization is changing, employers increasingly look for persons with good communication and interpersonal skills. Mechanical aptitude, manual dexterity, and experience working with machinery also are helpful. Those interested in becoming machine setters, operators, and tenders can improve their employment opportunities by completing high school courses in shop and blueprint reading and by gaining a working knowledge of the properties of metals and plastics. A solid math background including courses in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and basic statistics also is useful.

Job opportunities and advancement also can be enhanced by becoming certified in a particular machining skill. The National Institute for Metalworking Skills has developed standards for metalworking-machine operators. After taking a course approved by the organization and passing a written exam and performance requirement, the worker is issued a credential that formally recognizes him or her as competent in a specific machining operation. The Society of Plastics Industry, Inc., the national trade association representing plastics manufacturers, also certifies workers in the plastics industry. To achieve machine-operator certification, 2 years of experience operating a plastics-processing machine is recommended, and one must pass a computer-based exam.

Advancement for operators usually takes the form of higher pay, although there are some limited opportunities for operators to advance to new positions as well. For example, they can become multiple machine operators, setup operators, or trainees for the more highly skilled positions of machinist, tool and die maker, or computer control programmers or operators. Some setup workers may advance to supervisory positions. (See the statements on machinists, computer control programmers and operators, and tool and die makers elsewhere in the Handbook.)

One of the most important factors influencing employment change in this occupation is the implementation of laborsaving machinery. In order to remain competitive by improving quality and lowering production costs, many firms are adopting new technologies, such as computer-controlled machine tools and robots. Computer-controlled equipment allows operators to simultaneously tend a greater number of machines and often makes setup easier, thereby reducing the amount of time setup workers spend on each machine. Robots are being used to load and unload parts from machines. The lower-skilled manual machine tool operators and tenders are more likely to be eliminated by these new technologies because the functions they perform are more easily automated.

The demand for metalworking and plastics-working machine operators largely mirrors the demand for the parts they produce. Recent growth in the domestic economy, for example, has led to increased employment in a number of machine-operating occupations. In addition, the consumption of plastic products has grown as they have been substituted for metal goods in many consumer and manufactured products in recent years. This process is likely to continue and should result in stronger demand for machine operators in plastics than in metalworking.

Both the plastics and metal industries, however, face stiff foreign competition that is limiting the demand for domestically produced parts. One way in which larger U.S. producers have responded to this competition is by moving production operations to other countries where labor costs are lower. These moves are likely to continue, and will further reduce employment opportunities for many machine operators, setters, and tenders—metal and plastic in the United States.

Workers with a thorough background in machine operations, exposure to a variety of machines, and a good working knowledge of the properties of metals and plastics will be best able to adjust to this changing environment. In addition, new shop-floor arrangements will reward workers with good basic mathematics and reading skills, good communication skills, and the ability and willingness to learn new tasks. As workers are called upon to adapt to new production methods and to operate more machines, the number of multiple machine tool operators, setters, and tenders—metal and plastic will continue to rise.

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