Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Job Description
Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.
Featured schools near , edit
The Daily Work of Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Perform?
The core tasks performed by extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic span:
- Measure and examine extruded products to locate defects and to check for conformance to specifications, adjusting controls as necessary to alter products.
- Determine setup procedures and select machine dies and parts, according to specifications.
- Start machines and set controls to regulate vacuum, air pressure, sizing rings, and temperature, and to synchronize speed of extrusion.
- Reel extruded products into rolls of specified lengths and weights.
- Install dies, machine screws, and sizing rings on machines that extrude thermoplastic or metal materials.
- Change dies on extruding machines, according to production line changes.
- Clean work areas.
- Troubleshoot, maintain, and make minor repairs to equipment.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Core Extruder
- Core Shaper
- Draw Machine Operator
- Drawbench Operator
- Equipment Technician
- Extruder Operator
- Extruding Press Adjuster
- Extruding Press Operator
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 601,070 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -4.6% over the projection horizon.
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $67,252 |
| Hourly median | $32.33 |
| 10th percentile | $39,955 |
| 25th percentile | $53,603 |
| 75th percentile | $80,901 |
| 90th percentile | $94,550 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $64,860 |
| Minnesota | $54,340 |
| Maryland | $53,190 |
| Vermont | $52,900 |
| North Carolina | $51,930 |
| South Carolina | $50,750 |
| Nebraska | $50,750 |
| Louisiana | $50,610 |
| Delaware | $50,410 |
| Arizona | $49,850 |
| New Jersey | $49,540 |
| Colorado | $49,510 |
| Illinois | $49,070 |
| Connecticut | $49,020 |
| Wisconsin | $48,840 |
| New Hampshire | $48,820 |
| Arkansas | $48,570 |
| Massachusetts | $48,290 |
| South Dakota | $48,060 |
| New York | $48,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,670 |
| Michigan | $47,660 |
| West Virginia | $47,360 |
| Indiana | $47,280 |
| Virginia | $47,260 |
| Kentucky | $47,170 |
| Georgia | $46,930 |
| Iowa | $46,590 |
| Oregon | $46,230 |
| Maine | $45,880 |
| Washington | $45,750 |
| Texas | $45,280 |
| California | $44,970 |
| Utah | $44,910 |
| Oklahoma | $44,770 |
| New Mexico | $44,340 |
| Wyoming | $44,070 |
| Tennessee | $43,660 |
| Kansas | $43,660 |
| Ohio | $43,320 |
| Missouri | $42,640 |
| Alabama | $41,750 |
| Mississippi | $40,700 |
| Florida | $40,150 |
| Idaho | $39,840 |
| Nevada | $38,430 |
| Puerto Rico | $19,930 |
Where Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Earn the Most
Pay for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $50,196 | 6.2% | 1.45 |
| Middle Atlantic | $48,370 | 10.9% | 1.08 |
| Southeast | $46,923 | 32.9% | 1.85 |
| Great Lakes | $46,738 | 21.9% | 1.90 |
| Plains States | $46,724 | 6.6% | 1.10 |
| Southwest | $45,515 | 9.4% | 0.82 |
| Rocky Mountains | $45,440 | 1.7% | 0.74 |
| Far Western US | $44,775 | 9.7% | 0.61 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | LA | $103,300 | 440 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | WI | $62,710 | 400 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | IA | $62,240 | 120 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | VT | $59,480 | 70 |
| Terre Haute, IN | IN | $59,290 | 330 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | NE | $58,380 | 40 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $57,870 | 490 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | RI | $55,290 | 580 |
Which Industries Hire Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Most extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 63,050 | $47,040 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,340 | $48,380 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 990 | $34,550 |
| Construction | 80 | $44,340 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Spend Time Standing
Getting Started in This Career
Typical extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Supplemental)
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Future extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic commonly pursue programs in:
Precision Production
1 programs across 1 majors
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-4021.00 (Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic).
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.