What You Need to Know About Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Occupation Description Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.
A Day in the Life of an Extruding & Forming Machine Operator
- Turn rheostats to obtain specified temperatures in electric furnaces where glass is melted.
- Remove polymer deposits from spinnerettes and equipment, using silicone spray, brass chisels, and bronze-wool pads.
- Pull extruded fiberglass filaments over sleeves where binding solution is applied, and into grooves of graphite shoes that bind filaments into single strands of sliver.
- Turn petcocks to adjust the flow of binding fluid to sleeves.
- Move controls to activate and adjust extruding and forming machines.
- Pass sliver strands through openings in floors to workers on floors below who wind slivers onto tubes.
Featured schools near , edit
Skills Needed to be an Extruding & Forming Machine Operator
Below is a list of the skills most Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders say are important on the job.
Operation 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.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Related Job Titles
- Pelletizer Operator
- Hot End Operator
- Extrusion Line Operator
- Extrusion Operator
- Process Technician
What Kind of Extruding & Forming Machine Operator Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 20,200 jobs for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. There will be an estimated 2,100 positions for Extruding & Forming Machine Operator per year.

The states with the most job growth for Extruding & Forming Machine Operator are Utah, Iowa, and Minnesota. Watch out if you plan on working in North Carolina, Maine, or Virginia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does an Extruding & Forming Machine Operator Make?
The salary for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ranges between about $24,240 and $50,100 a year.

Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders who work in Pennsylvania, Missouri, or Kentucky, make the highest salaries.
How much do Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $34,840 |
Arkansas | $34,340 |
California | $36,650 |
Connecticut | $36,910 |
Florida | $41,420 |
Georgia | $33,390 |
Illinois | $35,460 |
Indiana | $31,730 |
Kansas | $40,290 |
Kentucky | $40,370 |
Louisiana | $37,530 |
Massachusetts | $35,700 |
Michigan | $32,730 |
Mississippi | $34,140 |
Missouri | $41,290 |
North Carolina | $35,130 |
Ohio | $38,420 |
Oklahoma | $36,030 |
Pennsylvania | $46,040 |
South Carolina | $37,380 |
Tennessee | $40,230 |
Texas | $33,280 |
Virginia | $37,780 |
Washington | $34,430 |
West Virginia | $30,780 |
Wisconsin | $37,630 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Statistical process control SPC software
How do I Become an Extruding & Forming Machine Operator?
Individuals working as an Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become an Extruding & Forming Machine Operator?

Where Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Are Employed

The table below shows the approximate number of Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those who work as an Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |