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Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender

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Life As a Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender

Occupation Description Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.

Daily Life Of a Forging Machine Operator

  • Confer with other workers about machine setups and operational specifications.
  • Repair, maintain, and replace parts on dies.
  • Trim and compress finished forgings to specified tolerances.
  • Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
  • Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.
  • Position and move metal wires or workpieces through a series of dies that compress and shape stock to form die impressions.

What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Forging Machine Operator?

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

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

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.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

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Job Demand for Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender

In the United States, there were 19,200 jobs for Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,400 job openings in this field each year.

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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.

Average Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender Salary

The salary for Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender ranges between about $25,100 and $60,310 a year.

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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

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender:

  • Data entry software
  • Email software
  • Inventory tracking software
  • Machine control software

How to Become a Forging Machine Operator

What kind of Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender requirements are there?

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Forging Machine Operator?

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Where do Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender Work?

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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Those thinking about becoming a Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender might also be interested in the following careers:

Those who work as a Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

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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