What Does it Take to Be a Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender?
Extruding & Drawing Machine Operator Example Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.
Life As an Extruding & Drawing Machine Operator
- Install dies, machine screws, and sizing rings on machines that extrude thermoplastic or metal materials.
- Test physical properties of products with testing devices such as acid-bath testers, burst testers, and impact testers.
- Select nozzles, spacers, and wire guides, according to diameters and lengths of rods.
- Determine setup procedures and select machine dies and parts, according to specifications.
- Adjust controls to draw or press metal into specified shapes and diameters.
- Maintain an inventory of materials.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as an Extruding & Drawing Machine Operator?
Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing 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.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Types of Extruding & Drawing Machine Operator Jobs
- Job Molder
- Injection Machine Operator
- Setup Operator
- Rod Drawer
- Grid Molder
What Kind of Extruding & Drawing Machine Operator Job Opportunities Are There?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 72,300 jobs in the United States for Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender. There will be an estimated 5,600 positions for Extruding & Drawing Machine Operator per year.

The states with the most job growth for Extruding & Drawing Machine Operator are Utah, Georgia, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Delaware, Virginia, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does an Extruding & Drawing Machine Operator Make?
The average yearly salary of an Extruding & Drawing Machine Operator ranges between $23,840 and $52,060.

Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders who work in Iowa, South Carolina, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
How much do Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $28,830 |
Arizona | $33,560 |
Arkansas | $35,230 |
California | $34,520 |
Colorado | $39,060 |
Connecticut | $42,960 |
Delaware | $38,540 |
Florida | $31,350 |
Georgia | $34,210 |
Idaho | $30,090 |
Illinois | $40,470 |
Indiana | $35,650 |
Iowa | $45,820 |
Kansas | $36,050 |
Kentucky | $37,550 |
Louisiana | $35,130 |
Maine | $38,330 |
Maryland | $35,500 |
Massachusetts | $39,300 |
Michigan | $32,040 |
Minnesota | $40,500 |
Mississippi | $30,250 |
Missouri | $35,630 |
Nebraska | $38,520 |
Nevada | $33,910 |
New Hampshire | $39,140 |
New Jersey | $35,060 |
New Mexico | $34,130 |
New York | $36,670 |
North Carolina | $39,370 |
North Dakota | $36,370 |
Ohio | $35,420 |
Oklahoma | $35,240 |
Oregon | $39,230 |
Pennsylvania | $38,380 |
Rhode Island | $41,640 |
South Carolina | $41,990 |
South Dakota | $35,020 |
Tennessee | $35,770 |
Texas | $35,310 |
Utah | $35,640 |
Vermont | $32,030 |
Virginia | $38,710 |
Washington | $39,530 |
West Virginia | $39,540 |
Wisconsin | $40,030 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- SAP
How to Become an Extruding & Drawing Machine Operator
What education or degrees do I need to become a Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender?

How Long Does it Take to Become an Extruding & Drawing Machine Operator?

Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Sector

Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders work in the following industries:

Related Careers
Those interested in being a Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender may also be interested in:
- Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
- Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operators
Career changers with experience as a Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
References:
Image Credit: US Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier via Public domain
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