Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Career Profile
Set up, operate, or tend plating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Typically, the product being coated is immersed in molten metal or an electrolytic solution.
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What Tasks Do Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Take On?
The core tasks performed by plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic cover:
- Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
- Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
- Inspect coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
- Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces.
- Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
- Remove objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observe objects to verify conformance to specifications.
- Maintain production records.
- Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
What Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Need to Know
Successful plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Alodize Machine Operator
- Anode Machine Operator
- Anodic Operator
- Anodic Treater
- Anodize Machine Operator
- Anodizer
- Anodizing Line Operator
- Anodizing Operator
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 875,015 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +5.9% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $62,852 |
| Hourly median | $30.22 |
| 10th percentile | $44,210 |
| 25th percentile | $53,531 |
| 75th percentile | $72,173 |
| 90th percentile | $81,494 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $50,840 |
| Oklahoma | $48,800 |
| Mississippi | $48,790 |
| Oregon | $46,780 |
| New Hampshire | $46,740 |
| Colorado | $46,500 |
| Minnesota | $46,430 |
| California | $46,370 |
| Utah | $46,280 |
| Massachusetts | $45,530 |
| Iowa | $45,240 |
| Tennessee | $45,200 |
| Illinois | $44,990 |
| Missouri | $44,310 |
| New York | $44,110 |
| Ohio | $43,720 |
| Kansas | $43,680 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,920 |
| North Carolina | $41,850 |
| Idaho | $41,330 |
| Florida | $40,550 |
| Arizona | $40,550 |
| Maryland | $40,310 |
| Virginia | $40,280 |
| New Jersey | $40,190 |
| South Carolina | $40,110 |
| Maine | $40,020 |
| Wisconsin | $39,380 |
| Nebraska | $39,200 |
| Kentucky | $38,800 |
| Georgia | $38,310 |
| Connecticut | $38,260 |
| Indiana | $38,130 |
| Nevada | $37,980 |
| Rhode Island | $37,590 |
| Arkansas | $36,930 |
| Michigan | $36,890 |
| Texas | $36,180 |
| Alabama | $35,770 |
| Louisiana | $31,540 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for plating machine 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $46,584 | 20.1% | 1.40 |
| Rocky Mountains | $45,528 | 1.1% | 0.38 |
| Plains States | $44,089 | 5.8% | 1.19 |
| Middle Atlantic | $42,831 | 8.9% | 0.73 |
| New England | $41,959 | 7.2% | 1.73 |
| Southeast | $40,588 | 15.4% | 0.94 |
| Great Lakes | $40,059 | 31.2% | 2.61 |
| Southwest | $37,711 | 10.1% | 0.84 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ogden, UT | UT | $66,980 | 70 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | OK | $64,420 | 90 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | WI | $58,720 | 50 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | NE | $54,460 | 50 |
| Jacksonville, FL | FL | $54,060 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $52,000 | 450 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $50,900 | 210 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $50,890 | 70 |
Top Industries Employing Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Most plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 30,440 | $41,600 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 500 | $35,770 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Use
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Time Pressure
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
Education and Training
Most plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Pourers and Casters, Metal (Supplemental)
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (Primary-Short)
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
Sources
Data on this page comes from 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: 51-4193.00 (Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic).
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