Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Set up, operate, or tend more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot.
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Equipment Maintenance
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
Key knowledge
- Production and Processing
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Design
- Education and Training
- Customer and Personal Service
- Engineering and Technology
What the work involves
- Inspect workpieces for defects, and measure workpieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measuring instruments.
- Observe machine operation to detect workpiece defects or machine malfunctions, adjusting machines as necessary.
- Read blueprints or job orders to determine product specifications and tooling instructions and to plan operational sequences.
- Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, cutters, shears, borers, millers, grinders, presses, drills, or auxiliary machines, to make metallic and plastic workpieces.
- Position, adjust, and secure stock material or workpieces against stops, on arbors, or in chucks, fixtures, or automatic feeding mechanisms, manually or using hoists.
- Select, install, and adjust alignment of drills, cutters, dies, guides, and holding devices, using templates, measuring instruments, and hand tools.
- Change worn machine accessories, such as cutting tools or brushes, using hand tools.
- Make minor electrical and mechanical repairs and adjustments to machines and notify supervisors when major service is required.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (81.7% of respondents)
- Related experience
- None (41.5%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (25.2%)
- 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 Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 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 | Low | Lower on contact with others than 77% of occupations compared | — |
| Dealing with the public | Very low | Lower on dealing with the public than 88% of occupations compared | 45% of surveyed respondents chose “Not important at all” |
| Teamwork | Very low | Lower on teamwork than 82% of occupations compared | 45% of surveyed respondents chose “Important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 71% of occupations compared | 46% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom” |
| Time pressure | Very high | Higher on time pressure than 89% of occupations compared | — |
| Conflict situations | Moderate | Lower on conflict situations than 56% of occupations compared | 59% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Very low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 96% of occupations compared | 46% of surveyed respondents chose “Never” |
| Consequence of error | Moderate | Higher on consequence of error than 59% of occupations compared | 39% of surveyed respondents chose “Very serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: very high
- Conflict situations: moderate
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
- Consequence of error: moderate
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: 26.37%
- Contact with others about half the time: 0%
- Contact with others most of the time: 24.08%
- Constant contact with others: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 15, Incumbent 08/2021
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 44.73%
- Fairly important: 1.73%
- Important: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Very important: 12.43%
- Extremely important: 1.51%
n = 15, Incumbent 08/2021
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 3.17%
- Important: 45.39%
- Very important: 21.34%
- Extremely important: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2021
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 1.48%
- Limited freedom: 29.73%
- Some freedom: 45.64%
- A lot of freedom: 23.15%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2021
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 0%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 1.97%
- Once a week or more but not every day: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Every day: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2021
Conflict situations
- Never: 1.48%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 58.63%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 5.08%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 33.33%
- Every day: 1.48%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2021
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 46.04%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 28.82%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 20.22%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 1.48%
- Every day: 3.45%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2021
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 1.69%
- Fairly serious: 20.65%
- Serious: 37.18%
- Very serious: 38.5%
- Extremely serious: 1.97%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2021
Is this career right for me? Find jobs with conditions you prefer
Where people with this background could move
- Analyze
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
Closeness 94/100
- Analyze
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Closeness 93/100
- Analyze
Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers
Closeness 93/100 · job zone +1
- Analyze
Maintenance Workers, Machinery
Closeness 93/100 · job zone +1
- Analyze
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
Closeness 93/100
- Analyze
Motorcycle Mechanics
Closeness 93/100 · job zone +1
Find more alternativesCompare skills with another job
O*NET-SOC 51-4081.00 · SOC 51-4081 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8