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Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Job Description

Set up, operate, or tend machines that knit, loop, weave, or draw in textiles.

What Do Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Take On?

The core tasks performed by textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders cover:

  • Observe woven cloth to detect weaving defects.
  • Thread yarn, thread, and fabric through guides, needles, and rollers of machines for weaving, knitting, or other processing.
  • Remove defects in cloth by cutting and pulling out filling.
  • Examine looms to determine causes of loom stoppage, such as warp filling, harness breaks, or mechanical defects.
  • Inspect products to ensure that specifications are met and to determine if machines need adjustment.
  • Notify supervisors or repair staff of mechanical malfunctions.
  • Start machines, monitor operations, and make adjustments as needed.
  • Stop machines when specified amounts of product have been produced.

Key Skills and Knowledge

Effective textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Top Skills

These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Operations Monitoring  3.4 / 5
0
5
Monitoring  3.1 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  3.0 / 5
0
5
Operation and Control  3.0 / 5
0
5
Quality Control Analysis  2.9 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  2.9 / 5
0
5

Core Knowledge

Production and Processing  3.4 / 5
0
5
English Language  3.2 / 5
0
5
Mechanical  3.0 / 5
0
5
Public Safety and Security  2.6 / 5
0
5
Education and Training  2.6 / 5
0
5
Computers and Electronics  2.5 / 5
0
5

Types of Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Jobs

This career also goes by job titles like:

  • Automated Weaver
  • Automatic Full-Fashioned Hosiery Knitting Machine Operator
  • Automatic Pad-Making Machine Operator
  • Belt Weaver
  • Blanket Weaver
  • Braid Pattern Setter
  • Broadloom Weaver
  • Carpet Loom Fixer

How Many Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Are There?

There are roughly 209,222 textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +5.9% over the projection horizon.

Forecasted number of jobs for Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Salary for Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Statistic Value
Annual median $52,453
Hourly median $25.22
10th percentile $36,475
25th percentile $44,464
75th percentile $60,442
90th percentile $68,431

Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.

Salary ranges for Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary by State

State Annual median salary
Wisconsin $65,820
Mississippi $49,720
New York $47,970
Maine $47,320
New Hampshire $47,170
Washington $46,700
Minnesota $43,950
Michigan $43,410
Pennsylvania $42,040
Massachusetts $40,030
South Carolina $39,680
Georgia $38,630
Virginia $38,570
New Jersey $38,390
Ohio $38,280
Alabama $37,860
California $37,290
North Carolina $36,520
Indiana $36,350
Louisiana $35,740
Texas $33,690
Tennessee $32,500
Rhode Island $31,420

Top-Paying U.S. Regions

Earnings for textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:

Region Median annual wage Share of U.S. jobs Location quotient
Great Lakes $50,212 3.3% 0.41
Plains States $43,950 0.5% 0.26
Middle Atlantic $43,695 6.9% 0.73
New England $38,897 4.7% 3.31
Far Western US $38,719 5.6% 0.39
Southeast $37,972 77.1% 6.92
Southwest $33,690 1.8% 0.19

Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Metro area State Median annual wage Employment
Reading, PA PA $64,540 50
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI MN $51,890 30
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH MA $47,610 90
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ NY $45,260 170
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI MI $43,410 70
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC SC $42,770 650
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD PA $41,940 140
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA GA $41,630 750

Industry Breakdown

The largest employers of textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders work in these industries:

Industry Employment Median annual wage
Manufacturing 13,880 $38,280
Wholesale Trade 340 $35,260
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services 260 $35,430
Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sectors

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

Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders industries

Software Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Use

  • Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
  • Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
  • Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
  • Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
  • Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)

Work Environment

The work environment for textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders is shaped by the following characteristics:

  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  • Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment

How to Become Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Typical textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.

Other Careers to Consider

Similar Occupations

Sources

Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
  • BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
  • O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.

SOC code: 51-6063.00 (Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders).

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