What Do Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender Do?
Position Description Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.
A Day in the Life of a Forging Machine Operator
- Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, piercing, or other operations to taper, shape, or form metal.
- Trim and compress finished forgings to specified tolerances.
- Start machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conform to specifications.
- Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
- Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.
- Remove dies from machines when production runs are finished.
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Forging Machine Operator Skills
When polled, Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
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.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Types of Forging Machine Operator Jobs
- Hammer Operator
- Forging Machine Operator
- Header Set-Up Operator
- Swaging Machine Operator
- Bulldozer Press Operator
Is There Job Demand for Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 19,200 jobs in the United States for Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender. The BLS estimates 1,400 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Forging Machine Operator are Tennessee, Arizona, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in New Hampshire, Kansas, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender Make A Lot Of Money?
The average yearly salary of a Forging Machine Operator ranges between $25,100 and $60,310.

Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender who work in Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Indiana, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $37,870 |
Arizona | $37,810 |
Arkansas | $38,530 |
California | $38,450 |
Colorado | $40,880 |
Connecticut | $28,890 |
Florida | $30,260 |
Georgia | $42,370 |
Illinois | $39,600 |
Indiana | $46,980 |
Iowa | $35,370 |
Kansas | $38,810 |
Kentucky | $38,240 |
Maryland | $32,450 |
Massachusetts | $31,160 |
Michigan | $38,550 |
Minnesota | $41,390 |
Mississippi | $36,220 |
Missouri | $40,460 |
New Hampshire | $39,060 |
New Jersey | $36,760 |
New York | $42,680 |
North Carolina | $36,930 |
Ohio | $40,110 |
Oklahoma | $56,700 |
Oregon | $39,480 |
Pennsylvania | $43,490 |
Rhode Island | $37,490 |
South Carolina | $33,130 |
South Dakota | $40,190 |
Tennessee | $50,300 |
Texas | $36,310 |
Vermont | $44,880 |
Virginia | $41,690 |
Wisconsin | $41,770 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender may use on a daily basis:
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Inventory tracking software
- Machine control software
How do I Become a Forging Machine Operator?
What education is needed to be a Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender?

What work experience do I need to become a Forging Machine Operator?

Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender Sector

Below are examples of industries where Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender work:

Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
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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