What Do Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender Do?
Occupation Description Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Includes electrolytic processes.
What Do Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Do On a Daily Basis?
- Determine sizes and compositions of objects to be plated, and amounts of electrical current and time required.
- Cut metal or other materials, using shears or band saws.
- Measure and set stops, rolls, brushes, and guides on automatic feeders and conveying equipment or coating machines, using micrometers, rules, and hand tools.
- Position objects to be plated in frames, or suspend them from positive or negative terminals of power supplies.
- Clean and maintain equipment, using water hoses and scrapers.
- Plate small objects, such as nuts or bolts, using motor-driven barrels.
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Skills Needed to be a Plating and Coating Machine Operator
When polled, Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 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.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Types of Plating and Coating Machine Operator Jobs
- Zinc Plating Machine Operator
- Lacquerer
- Metal and Plastic Nonelectrolytic Plating and Coating Machine Operator/Tender
- Metal Spraying Machine Operator
- Electroless Plater
Job Opportunities for Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
In the United States, there were 35,300 jobs for Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender. The BLS estimates 2,800 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Plating and Coating Machine Operator are North Dakota, Washington, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Colorado, New Mexico, or Missouri. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Plating and Coating Machine Operator Average Salary
The typical yearly salary for Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is somewhere between $22,980 and $50,740.

Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders who work in West Virginia, Maryland, or Georgia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $32,200 |
Arizona | $30,770 |
Arkansas | $32,710 |
California | $35,570 |
Colorado | $40,640 |
Connecticut | $39,060 |
Delaware | $34,430 |
Florida | $33,290 |
Georgia | $45,320 |
Idaho | $33,090 |
Illinois | $32,930 |
Indiana | $34,480 |
Iowa | $35,480 |
Kansas | $32,120 |
Kentucky | $32,820 |
Louisiana | $34,080 |
Maine | $35,500 |
Maryland | $41,210 |
Massachusetts | $40,600 |
Michigan | $32,450 |
Minnesota | $36,880 |
Mississippi | $34,380 |
Missouri | $31,750 |
Nebraska | $36,370 |
Nevada | $29,430 |
New Hampshire | $40,200 |
New Jersey | $36,950 |
New Mexico | $34,360 |
New York | $34,640 |
North Carolina | $33,080 |
Ohio | $34,050 |
Oklahoma | $40,330 |
Oregon | $36,570 |
Pennsylvania | $37,350 |
Rhode Island | $32,410 |
South Carolina | $32,930 |
Tennessee | $33,870 |
Texas | $33,660 |
Utah | $33,990 |
Virginia | $36,600 |
Washington | $38,820 |
West Virginia | $49,220 |
Wisconsin | $32,650 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Outlook
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Hazardous materials management HMS software
- Oracle Advanced Procurement
How to Become a Plating and Coating Machine Operator
Learn what Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender education requirements there are.

What work experience do I need to become a Plating and Coating Machine Operator?

Where Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Are Employed

The table below shows the approximate number of Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders employed by various industries.

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Those thinking about becoming a Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Metal and Plastic Plating and Coating Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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