Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Career Profile
Set up, operate, or tend machines to roll steel or plastic forming bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate, or to flatten, temper, or reduce gauge of material.
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What Do Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Perform?
Typical responsibilities of rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic include:
- Monitor machine cycles and mill operation to detect jamming and to ensure that products conform to specifications.
- Adjust and correct machine set-ups to reduce thicknesses, reshape products, and eliminate product defects.
- Start operation of rolling and milling machines to flatten, temper, form, and reduce sheet metal sections and to produce steel strips.
- Examine, inspect, and measure raw materials and finished products to verify conformance to specifications.
- Read rolling orders, blueprints, and mill schedules to determine setup specifications, work sequences, product dimensions, and installation procedures.
- Manipulate controls and observe dial indicators to monitor, adjust, and regulate speeds of machine mechanisms.
- Set distance points between rolls, guides, meters, and stops, according to specifications.
- Calculate draft space and roll speed for each mill stand to plan rolling sequences and specified dimensions and tempers.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Bar Finish Operator
- Bar Roller
- Barrel Roller
- Barrel Roller Operator
- Bed Operator
- Brass Roller
- Breakdown Coordinator
- Breakdown Mill Operator
Employment and Demand
There are about 425,674 rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +14.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $47,503 |
| Hourly median | $22.84 |
| 10th percentile | $34,290 |
| 25th percentile | $40,896 |
| 75th percentile | $54,110 |
| 90th percentile | $60,716 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | $64,010 |
| Washington | $61,520 |
| Connecticut | $59,480 |
| Iowa | $56,380 |
| New Hampshire | $55,450 |
| New York | $55,000 |
| West Virginia | $53,840 |
| Minnesota | $52,980 |
| Maryland | $51,030 |
| Indiana | $51,000 |
| Alabama | $50,950 |
| Colorado | $50,310 |
| Wisconsin | $50,060 |
| Vermont | $49,830 |
| Illinois | $49,470 |
| Ohio | $49,260 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,220 |
| Massachusetts | $48,990 |
| Oregon | $48,860 |
| California | $48,780 |
| South Dakota | $48,680 |
| Kentucky | $48,610 |
| Missouri | $48,030 |
| New Jersey | $47,410 |
| Oklahoma | $47,360 |
| Tennessee | $47,340 |
| Arizona | $47,150 |
| Nebraska | $46,660 |
| Texas | $46,520 |
| Virginia | $46,300 |
| Utah | $46,050 |
| North Carolina | $45,780 |
| South Carolina | $45,730 |
| Arkansas | $44,410 |
| Michigan | $43,890 |
| Georgia | $43,810 |
| Mississippi | $41,550 |
| Kansas | $39,000 |
| Florida | $38,710 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,470 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $51,491 | 2.8% | 0.72 |
| Far Western US | $51,360 | 8.2% | 0.55 |
| Middle Atlantic | $50,428 | 9.4% | 0.74 |
| Plains States | $50,277 | 6.7% | 1.60 |
| Rocky Mountains | $49,032 | 1.3% | 0.47 |
| Great Lakes | $48,429 | 25.7% | 2.25 |
| Southeast | $47,636 | 36.8% | 3.28 |
| Southwest | $46,694 | 8.2% | 0.71 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur, AL | AL | $110,760 | 60 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | IN | $68,930 | 160 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $66,720 | 420 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | NY | $65,160 | 110 |
| Reading, PA | PA | $64,860 | 80 |
| Knoxville, TN | TN | $63,760 | 300 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $62,900 | 60 |
| Rockford, IL | IL | $61,970 | 50 |
Top Industries Employing Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
The largest employers of rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 20,930 | $48,670 |
| Wholesale Trade | 880 | $49,960 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 200 | $39,240 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 110 | $48,390 |
| Construction | 70 | $46,910 |
Below are examples of industries where rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work:
Tools and Technology
- Electronic mail software: Email software
- Internet browser software: Web browser software
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Contact With Others
Education and Training
Typical rolling machine 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.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Supplemental)
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- 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 (Primary-Short)
- 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)
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic commonly pursue programs in:
Precision Production
2 programs across 1 majors
References
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: 51-4023.00 (Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic).
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