Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Coordination
- Complex Problem Solving
- Quality Control Analysis
Key knowledge
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Education and Training
- Mechanical
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
What the work involves
- Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form filaments from synthetic materials such as rayon, fiberglass, or liquid polymers.
- Load materials into extruding and forming machines, using hand tools, and adjust feed mechanisms to set feed rates.
- Move controls to activate and adjust extruding and forming machines.
- Record details of machine malfunctions.
- Notify other workers of defects, and direct them to adjust extruding and forming machines.
- Press buttons to stop machines when processes are complete or when malfunctions are detected.
- Observe machine operations, control boards, and gauges to detect malfunctions such as clogged bushings and defective binder applicators.
- Clean and maintain extruding and forming machines, using hand tools.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (74.1% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (28.9%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (48.5%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 2: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Moderate | Higher on contact with others than 55% of occupations compared | 56% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Very low | Lower on dealing with the public than 89% of occupations compared | 61% of surveyed respondents chose “Not important at all” |
| Teamwork | High | Higher on teamwork than 76% of occupations compared | 73% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Very low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 82% of occupations compared | — |
| Time pressure | Moderate | Higher on time pressure than 51% of occupations compared | 36% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Conflict situations | High | Higher on conflict situations than 66% of occupations compared | 46% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Moderate | Higher on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 52% of occupations compared | — |
| Consequence of error | Very high | Higher on consequence of error than 82% of occupations compared | 37% of surveyed respondents chose “Very serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: moderate
- Conflict situations: high
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: moderate
- Consequence of error: very high
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 0%
- Contact with others about half the time: 11.63%
- Contact with others most of the time: 32.11%
- Constant contact with others: 56.26%
n = 18, Incumbent 08/2019
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 60.51%
- Fairly important: 12.23%
- Important: 0%
- Very important: 0%
- Extremely important: 27.26%
n = 18, Incumbent 08/2019
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 4.85%
- Important: 7.27%
- Very important: 14.65%
- Extremely important: 73.23%
n = 18, Incumbent 08/2019
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 4.85%
- Very little freedom: 0%
- Limited freedom: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Some freedom: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- A lot of freedom: 7.08%
n = 18, Incumbent 08/2019
Time pressure
- Never: 7.27%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 0%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 25.43%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 31.62%
- Every day: 35.68%
n = 18, Incumbent 08/2019
Conflict situations
- Never: 6.48%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 35.13%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 7.27%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 46.27%
- Every day: 4.85%
n = 18, Incumbent 08/2019
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 14.35%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 14.06%
- Once a month or more but not every week: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Once a week or more but not every day: 9.21%
- Every day: 7.27%
n = 18, Incumbent 08/2019
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 8.91%
- Fairly serious: 11.63%
- Serious: 7.87%
- Very serious: 36.96%
- Extremely serious: 34.64%
n = 18, Incumbent 08/2019
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O*NET-SOC 51-6091.00 · SOC 51-6091 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8