Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Career Overview
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.
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What Do Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic cover:
- Inspect or measure finished workpieces to determine conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as gauges or micrometers.
- Measure workpieces and lay out work, using precision measuring devices.
- Observe machine operations to detect any problems, making necessary adjustments to correct problems.
- 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.
- Select machine tooling to be used, using knowledge of machine and production requirements.
- Mount and position tools in machine chucks, spindles, or other tool holding devices, using hand tools.
- Activate machine start-up switches to grind, lap, hone, debar, shear, or cut workpieces, according to specifications.
What Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Need to Know
Top grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Abrasive Worker
- Air Grinder
- Aluminum Polisher
- Automatic Grinder Operator
- Axle Bearing Polisher
- Axle Polisher
- Balance Screwhead Polisher
- Band Reamer Machine Operator
Job Outlook
There are about 381,551 grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -0.2% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $52,281 |
| Hourly median | $25.14 |
| 10th percentile | $33,314 |
| 25th percentile | $42,798 |
| 75th percentile | $61,765 |
| 90th percentile | $71,249 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Missouri | $58,920 |
| Oregon | $51,850 |
| Minnesota | $49,180 |
| Vermont | $49,160 |
| Massachusetts | $48,690 |
| South Carolina | $48,210 |
| Washington | $47,550 |
| Connecticut | $47,480 |
| North Carolina | $47,470 |
| Nebraska | $46,730 |
| Idaho | $46,690 |
| Wisconsin | $46,570 |
| Maine | $46,420 |
| North Dakota | $46,170 |
| Illinois | $45,970 |
| New York | $45,910 |
| California | $45,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,550 |
| Colorado | $45,460 |
| Wyoming | $45,450 |
| Tennessee | $45,380 |
| Virginia | $45,330 |
| Iowa | $44,920 |
| Indiana | $44,610 |
| New Hampshire | $44,460 |
| Arizona | $44,120 |
| Georgia | $43,930 |
| Louisiana | $42,990 |
| Utah | $42,920 |
| Michigan | $41,600 |
| Kentucky | $41,450 |
| Ohio | $41,420 |
| Mississippi | $41,410 |
| Nevada | $40,960 |
| Rhode Island | $40,600 |
| Kansas | $40,500 |
| Maryland | $40,330 |
| South Dakota | $40,190 |
| Oklahoma | $39,690 |
| Arkansas | $39,450 |
| Texas | $39,000 |
| Alabama | $38,910 |
| Florida | $38,710 |
| New Jersey | $38,190 |
| Montana | $38,090 |
| West Virginia | $37,490 |
| New Mexico | $36,800 |
| Delaware | $32,390 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,230 |
Where Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Earn the Most
Earnings for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $49,285 | 7.6% | 1.22 |
| New England | $47,442 | 7.2% | 1.60 |
| Far Western US | $46,576 | 15.9% | 1.04 |
| Middle Atlantic | $44,528 | 11.1% | 1.09 |
| Rocky Mountains | $44,082 | 2.3% | 0.58 |
| Great Lakes | $43,812 | 33.6% | 2.42 |
| Southeast | $43,700 | 15.7% | 1.01 |
| Southwest | $39,995 | 6.6% | 0.56 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | MO | $58,920 | 1,100 |
| St. Cloud, MN | MN | $55,580 | 70 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | AR | $55,410 | 110 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $55,280 | 920 |
| Spartanburg, SC | SC | $53,350 | 200 |
| Asheville, NC | NC | $53,180 | 100 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | NC | $52,850 | 740 |
| Wilmington, NC | NC | $52,280 | 40 |
Industry Breakdown
Most grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 67,380 | $45,470 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,540 | $37,980 |
| Wholesale Trade | 690 | $38,030 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 80 | $47,310 |
| Construction | 60 | $41,520 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 60 | $47,770 |
| Retail Trade | 40 | $54,560 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 40 | $51,350 |
Below are examples of industries where grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work:
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool 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
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Time Pressure
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How to Become Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Entry-level grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Supplemental)
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery (Supplemental)
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Drilling and Boring 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 (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Aspiring grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic commonly pursue programs in:
Precision Production
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
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: 51-4033.00 (Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic).
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