What Does it Take to Be a Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender?
Welding, Soldering, & Brazing Machine Operator Job Description Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.
What Do Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Do On a Daily Basis?
- Dress electrodes, using tip dressers, files, emery cloths, or dressing wheels.
- Set up, operate, or tend welding machines that join or bond components to fabricate metal products or assemblies.
- Set dials and timing controls to regulate electrical current, gas flow pressure, heating or cooling cycles, or shut-off.
- Conduct trial runs before welding, soldering, or brazing and make necessary adjustments to equipment.
- Anneal finished workpieces to relieve internal stress.
- Select, position, align, and bolt jigs, holding fixtures, guides, or stops onto machines, using measuring instruments and hand tools.
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What a Welding, Soldering, & Brazing Machine Operator Should Know
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Soldering Machine Tender
- Manufacturing Operator
- Fabricator
- Brazing Machine Setter and Setup Operator
- Induction Heating Equipment Setter
Are There Job Opportunities for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?
There were about 49,200 jobs for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender. There will be an estimated 4,400 positions for Welding, Soldering, & Brazing Machine Operator per year.

The states with the most job growth for Welding, Soldering, & Brazing Machine Operator are Utah, Alabama, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in New Mexico, Colorado, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make between $26,200 and $54,400 a year.

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders who work in Massachusetts, North Dakota, or South Dakota, make the highest salaries.
How much do Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $35,540 |
Arizona | $39,980 |
Arkansas | $40,830 |
California | $40,780 |
Colorado | $39,350 |
Connecticut | $41,260 |
Florida | $38,860 |
Georgia | $37,170 |
Idaho | $33,180 |
Illinois | $36,730 |
Indiana | $34,690 |
Iowa | $40,480 |
Kansas | $37,000 |
Kentucky | $37,520 |
Louisiana | $44,150 |
Maine | $39,670 |
Maryland | $39,210 |
Massachusetts | $46,730 |
Michigan | $39,390 |
Minnesota | $43,480 |
Mississippi | $35,330 |
Missouri | $34,900 |
Montana | $32,650 |
Nebraska | $42,130 |
Nevada | $40,440 |
New Hampshire | $39,830 |
New Jersey | $34,900 |
New York | $41,000 |
North Carolina | $41,360 |
North Dakota | $43,260 |
Ohio | $40,570 |
Oklahoma | $39,250 |
Oregon | $42,250 |
Pennsylvania | $40,940 |
Rhode Island | $41,530 |
South Carolina | $43,780 |
South Dakota | $43,060 |
Tennessee | $40,260 |
Texas | $38,390 |
Utah | $35,300 |
Vermont | $41,090 |
Virginia | $38,940 |
Washington | $49,560 |
West Virginia | $37,030 |
Wisconsin | $39,100 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Spreadsheet software
- Linux
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- SAP software
- Microsoft operating system
Becoming a Welding, Soldering, & Brazing Machine Operator
Are there Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders education requirements?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Welding, Soldering, & Brazing Machine Operator?

Where Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Are Employed

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders work in the following industries:

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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