What Do Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setter, Operator, or Tender Do?
Career Description Set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic work pieces.
What Do Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders Do On a Daily Basis?
- Maintain stocks of machine parts and machining tools.
- Thread and hand-feed materials through machine cutters or abraders.
- Set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic workpieces.
- Mount and position tools in machine chucks, spindles, or other tool holding devices, using hand tools.
- Move machine controls to index workpieces, and to adjust machines for pre-selected operational settings.
- Study blueprints, work orders, or machining instructions to determine product specifications, tool requirements, and operational sequences.
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Qualities of a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, & Buffing Machine Tool Operator
These are the skills Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders say are the most useful in their careers:
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.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Types of Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setter, Operator, or Tender
- Knife Sharpener
- Band Saw Filer
- Machine Tool Dresser
- Swing Grinder
- Dinger
Job Demand for Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders
In the United States, there were 76,200 jobs for Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setter, Operator, or Tender in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setter, Operator, or Tender. The BLS estimates 6,800 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, & Buffing Machine Tool Operator are Idaho, North Dakota, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Colorado, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, & Buffing Machine Tool Operator
The salary for Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders ranges between about $23,960 and $52,170 a year.
Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders who work in Maine, Oregon, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.
How much do Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $34,190 |
| Arizona | $39,180 |
| Arkansas | $34,910 |
| California | $34,580 |
| Colorado | $32,840 |
| Connecticut | $43,350 |
| Delaware | $28,230 |
| Florida | $32,890 |
| Georgia | $34,710 |
| Idaho | $28,540 |
| Illinois | $38,400 |
| Indiana | $37,270 |
| Iowa | $35,740 |
| Kansas | $35,770 |
| Kentucky | $37,440 |
| Louisiana | $41,320 |
| Maine | $42,950 |
| Maryland | $43,200 |
| Massachusetts | $41,290 |
| Michigan | $37,070 |
| Minnesota | $38,390 |
| Mississippi | $40,840 |
| Missouri | $40,800 |
| Montana | $29,350 |
| Nebraska | $39,630 |
| Nevada | $32,300 |
| New Hampshire | $34,950 |
| New Jersey | $36,900 |
| New Mexico | $26,610 |
| New York | $39,010 |
| North Carolina | $37,840 |
| North Dakota | $40,060 |
| Ohio | $34,980 |
| Oklahoma | $32,240 |
| Oregon | $42,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,780 |
| Rhode Island | $36,110 |
| South Carolina | $39,880 |
| South Dakota | $35,350 |
| Tennessee | $36,870 |
| Texas | $32,710 |
| Utah | $34,530 |
| Vermont | $38,550 |
| Virginia | $31,030 |
| Washington | $37,890 |
| West Virginia | $31,070 |
| Wisconsin | $36,800 |
| Wyoming | $42,570 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Mazak Mazatrol SMART CNC
Becoming a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, & Buffing Machine Tool Operator
What education or degrees do I need to become a Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setter, Operator, or Tender?
What work experience do I need to become a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, & Buffing Machine Tool Operator?
Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders Sector
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setter, Operator, or Tender might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setter, Operator, or Tender sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
- Machinists
References:
Image Credit: US Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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