Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Production Occupations
O*NET-SOC code
51-4031.00

Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.

  • Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08

    Low· relative

    LowFour relative bandsVery high

    Group-level value

    Scale, basis and source

    Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)

    831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band

    Source dataset (XLSX download)

  • Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03

    0.000

    0.000Range of values carried here0.745
    Scale, basis and source

    Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published

    Mapped onto O*NET tasks

    Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value

    Source dataset (CSV download)

  • Data source: ILOPublished: 2025

    0.17–0.18· 2 ISCO-08 groups

    Scale, basis and source

    Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published

    Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published

    Source dataset (PDF download)

What kind of figure this source publishes

The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.

ILO value for each linked ISCO-08 group
  • ISCO-08 7223Metal Working Machine Tool Setters and Operators0.18
  • ISCO-08 8142Plastic Products Machine Operators0.17

Task-level exposure

Show 31 hidden tasks

32 rated tasks · 1 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (3.1%)

β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.

  • Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
  • 2 rated tasks are not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; their scores are kept as published for O*NET 27.2.
Source
OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
Release
gh-main-0471612
License
MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Task (O*NET 20.1)Claude.aiRaw / share %APIRaw / share %
Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers.

51-4031.00

0.0027100.00.0058100.0

Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page

All O*NET 31.0 task statements (31)

All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.

Task (O*NET 31.0)Type
Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers.Core
Examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws.Core
Read work orders or production schedules to determine specifications, such as materials to be used, locations of cutting lines, or dimensions and tolerances.Core
Load workpieces, plastic material, or chemical solutions into machines.Core
Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.Core
Start machines, monitor their operations, and record operational data.Core
Test and adjust machine speeds or actions, according to product specifications, using gauges and hand tools.Core
Turn controls to set cutting speeds, feed rates, or table angles for specified operations.Core
Clean work area.Core
Install, align, and lock specified punches, dies, cutting blades, or other fixtures in rams or beds of machines, using gauges, templates, feelers, shims, and hand tools.Supplemental
Clean and lubricate machines.Supplemental
Position, align, and secure workpieces against fixtures or stops on machine beds or on dies.Supplemental
Scribe reference lines on workpieces as guides for cutting operations, according to blueprints, templates, sample parts, or specifications.Supplemental
Set blade tensions, heights, and angles to perform prescribed cuts, using wrenches.Supplemental
Adjust ram strokes of presses to specified lengths, using hand tools.Supplemental
Place workpieces on cutting tables, manually or using hoists, cranes, or sledges.Supplemental
Position guides, stops, holding blocks, or other fixtures to secure and direct workpieces, using hand tools and measuring devices.Supplemental
Turn valves to start flow of coolant against cutting areas or to start airflow that blows cuttings away from kerfs.Supplemental
Set stops on machine beds, change dies, and adjust components, such as rams or power presses, when making multiple or successive passes.Supplemental
Lubricate workpieces with oil.Supplemental
Replace defective blades or wheels, using hand tools.Supplemental
Mark identifying data on workpieces.Supplemental
Plan sequences of operations, applying knowledge of physical properties of workpiece materials.Supplemental
Grind out burrs or sharp edges, using portable grinders, speed lathes, or polishing jacks.Supplemental
Sharpen dulled blades, using bench grinders, abrasive wheels, or lathes.Supplemental
Remove housings, feed tubes, tool holders, or other accessories to replace worn or broken parts, such as springs or bushings.Supplemental
Hone cutters with oilstones to remove nicks.Supplemental
Select, clean, and install spacers, rubber sleeves, or cutters on arbors.Supplemental
Preheat workpieces, using heating furnaces or hand torches.Supplemental
Operate forklifts to deliver materials.Supplemental
Use equipment designed to join sheet metal, such as spot welders.Supplemental

Occupation information

Employment outlook (BLS)

Employment, 2025
171K
Projected employment, 2035
153K
Change (2025–35)
-10.5%
Median annual wage, 2025
$46,330
Typical education needed for entry
High school diploma or equivalent
lowest $30,890median wage across 825 detailed occupations, BLS EP 2025–35highest $559,030

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — Employment by detailed occupation, 2025 and projected 2035

Korea classification links (KSCO)

Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.

KSCO codeKSCO titleRelationStatus
85105프레스기 및 절단기 조작원This occupation is broaderconfirmed
85106금속 절곡기 조작원This occupation is broaderconfirmed
84159그 외 금속가공 기계 조작원Overlapping, not the sameconfirmed
84170판금기 조작원Overlapping, not the sameconfirmed

Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)

ILO occupational description

AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.

  • ISCO-08 7223Metal Working Machine Tool Setters and Operators
  • ISCO-08 8142Plastic Products Machine Operators

Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits

ESCO occupational vocabulary

Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.

  • laser cutting machine operatorESCO 7223.4.3This occupation is broader

    Laser cutting machine operators set up, program and tend laser cutting machines, designed to cut, or rather burn off and melt, excess material from a metal workpiece by directing a computer-motion-controlled powerful laser beam through laser optics. They read laser cutting machine blueprints and tooling instructions, perform regular machine maintenance, and make adjustments to the milling controls, such as the intensity of the laser beam and its positioning.

  • metal nibbling operatorESCO 7223.11This occupation is broader

    Metal nibbling operators cut detailed patterns from metal surfaces by using manual or powered metal nibblers, such as a handheld nibbling drill or a nibbling machine.

  • metal sawing machine operatorESCO 7223.4.5This occupation is broader

    Metal sawing machine operators set up and operate metal sawing machines designed to cut excess metal from a metal workpiece by the use of a (or several) large toothed-edges blade(s). They also trim clean finished shapes out of metal using tin snips, metal shears or wire cutters.  They also smoothen and trim sharp or rough edges using various tools.

  • punch press operatorESCO 7223.4.7This occupation is broader

    Punch press operators set up and tend punch presses designed to cut workpieces into their desired shape by propelling a hydraulic ram to punch holes into them with a single die set that pushes through the top dead centre, through the surface, and to the bottom dead centre of the workpiece.

  • slitter operatorESCO 8189.2This occupation is broader

    Slitter operators set up, operate, or tend machines, in order to cut, slit, bend, or straighten sheets of metal, paper, or other materials to specific widths. Slitter operators must also ensure quality, by examining various end-products and observing pre-defined tolerances.

  • straightening machine operatorESCO 7223.22This occupation is broader

    Straightening machine operators set up and tend straightening machines designed to form metal workpieces into their desired shape using pressing practices. They adjust the angle and the height of the straightening rolls and select the settings for the pressing force required to straighten the workpiece, taking into account the end product's yield strenght and size, without excess work hardening.

  • drill press operatorESCO 7223.6Overlapping, not the same

    Drill press operators set up and operate drill presses designed to cut excess material from or enlarge a hole in a fabricated workpiece using a hardened, rotary, multipointed cutting tool that inserts the drill into the workpiece axially.

  • laser marking machine operatorESCO 7223.10Overlapping, not the same

    Laser marking machine operators set up and tend laser marking or engraving machines designed to precisely carve a design in the surface of a metal workpiece by use of a moving controller and an engraving laser beam point attached to it that traces patterns on the metal workpiece's surface. They make adjustments to the machine in terms of laser beam intensity, direction and speed of movement. They also ensure the laser table, used to perform laser machine engravings on and guides the laser beam, is properly set up.

  • stamping press operatorESCO 7223.21Overlapping, not the same

    Stamping press operators set up and tend stamping presses designed to form metal workpieces in their desired shape by applying pressure through the up and down movement of a bolster plate and a die attached to a stamping ram on the metal, resulting in the die producing smaller metal parts of the workpiece fed to the press.

Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)

License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)

View original

ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.

France classification links (ROME)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.

ROME codeROME title (French)Relation
H2905Cisailleur / Cisailleuse en métallurgieSame scopeprovisional
H2904Forgeron industriel / Forgeronne industrielleRelated, not a matchprovisional
H2912Régleur / Régleuse d'équipements industrielsRelated, not a matchprovisional

Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.

ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)

Spain classification links (CNO-11)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

CNO-11 codeCNO-11 title (Spanish)Relation
7323Ajustadores y operadores de máquinas-herramientaThis occupation is narrower
8142Operadores de máquinas para fabricar productos de material plásticoRelated, not a match

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)

Germany classification links (KldB)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

KldB codeKldB title (German)Relation
24201Berufe in der Metallbearbeitung (ohne Spezialisierung) - Helfer-/AnlerntätigkeitenOverlapping, not the same
24212Berufe in der spanlosen Metallbearbeitung - fachlich ausgerichtete TätigkeitenOverlapping, not the same
24232Berufe in der spanenden Metallbearbeitung - fachlich ausgerichtete TätigkeitenOverlapping, not the sameprovisional

Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)

Japan classification links (JSCO)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

JSCO codeJSCO title (Japanese)Relation
524金属プレス従事者This occupation is broader
494金属プレス設備制御・監視員This occupation is broaderprovisional
496板金設備制御・監視員This occupation is broaderprovisional
529その他の製品製造・加工処理従事者(金属製品)Related, not a match
538ゴム・プラスチック製品製造従事者Related, not a match
495鉄工・製缶設備制御・監視員Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)

Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources