Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Production Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 51-4121.00
Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-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
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, 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
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.13
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
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
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.
Task-level exposure
Show 39 hidden tasks30 rated tasks · 3 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (10.0%)
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
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Tasks of O*NET-SOC 2010 occupation 51-4121.06 Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters, linked to this occupation by the O*NET-SOC 2010 to 2019 crosswalk
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % |
|---|---|
Determine required equipment and welding methods, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques.51-4121.06 | 0.0021100.0 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Determine required equipment and welding methods, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques.O*NET Task ID 23590 | 1.0 |
Develop templates and models for welding projects, using mathematical calculations based on blueprint information.O*NET Task ID 23597 | 1.0 |
Analyze engineering drawings, blueprints, specifications, sketches, work orders, and material safety data sheets to plan layout, assembly, and operations.O*NET Task ID 23611 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
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 (30)
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 |
|---|---|
| Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions. | Core |
| Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits. | Core |
| Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications. | Core |
| Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment. | Core |
| Weld separately or in combination, using aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, and other alloys. | Core |
| Select and install torches, torch tips, filler rods, and flux, according to welding chart specifications or types and thicknesses of metals. | Core |
| Connect and turn regulator valves to activate and adjust gas flow and pressure so that desired flames are obtained. | Core |
| Determine required equipment and welding methods, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques. | Core |
| Monitor the fitting, burning, and welding processes to avoid overheating of parts or warping, shrinking, distortion, or expansion of material. | Core |
| Mark or tag material with proper job number, piece marks, and other identifying marks as required. | Core |
| Chip or grind off excess weld, slag, or spatter, using hand scrapers or power chippers, portable grinders, or arc-cutting equipment. | Core |
| Prepare all material surfaces to be welded, ensuring that there is no loose or thick scale, slag, rust, moisture, grease, or other foreign matter. | Core |
| Align and clamp workpieces together, using rules, squares, or hand tools, or position items in fixtures, jigs, or vises. | Core |
| Develop templates and models for welding projects, using mathematical calculations based on blueprint information. | Core |
| Position and secure workpieces, using hoists, cranes, wire, and banding machines or hand tools. | Core |
| Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors. | Core |
| Clean or degrease parts, using wire brushes, portable grinders, or chemical baths. | Core |
| Melt and apply solder along adjoining edges of workpieces to solder joints, using soldering irons, gas torches, or electric-ultrasonic equipment. | Core |
| Grind, cut, buff, or bend edges of workpieces to be joined to ensure snug fit, using power grinders and hand tools. | Core |
| Repair products by dismantling, straightening, reshaping, and reassembling parts, using cutting torches, straightening presses, and hand tools. | Core |
| Hammer out bulges or bends in metal workpieces. | Core |
| Ignite torches or start power supplies and strike arcs by touching electrodes to metals being welded, completing electrical circuits. | Supplemental |
| Preheat workpieces prior to welding or bending, using torches or heating furnaces. | Supplemental |
| Guide and direct flames or electrodes on or across workpieces to straighten, bend, melt, or build up metal. | Supplemental |
| Check grooves, angles, or gap allowances, using micrometers, calipers, and precision measuring instruments. | Supplemental |
| Operate metal shaping, straightening, and bending machines, such as brakes and shears. | Supplemental |
| Set up and use ladders and scaffolding as necessary to complete work. | Supplemental |
| Melt and apply solder to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products, using soldering equipment. | Supplemental |
| Use fire suppression methods in industrial emergencies. | Supplemental |
| Analyze engineering drawings, blueprints, specifications, sketches, work orders, and material safety data sheets to plan layout, assembly, and operations. | — |
0.96/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Weld separately or in combination, using aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, and other alloys. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Select and install torches, torch tips, filler rods, and flux, according to welding chart specifications or types and thicknesses of metals. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Connect and turn regulator valves to activate and adjust gas flow and pressure so that desired flames are obtained. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Monitor the fitting, burning, and welding processes to avoid overheating of parts or warping, shrinking, distortion, or expansion of material. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Mark or tag material with proper job number, piece marks, and other identifying marks as required. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Chip or grind off excess weld, slag, or spatter, using hand scrapers or power chippers, portable grinders, or arc-cutting equipment. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Prepare all material surfaces to be welded, ensuring that there is no loose or thick scale, slag, rust, moisture, grease, or other foreign matter. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Align and clamp workpieces together, using rules, squares, or hand tools, or position items in fixtures, jigs, or vises. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Develop templates and models for welding projects, using mathematical calculations based on blueprint information. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Position and secure workpieces, using hoists, cranes, wire, and banding machines or hand tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Clean or degrease parts, using wire brushes, portable grinders, or chemical baths. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Melt and apply solder along adjoining edges of workpieces to solder joints, using soldering irons, gas torches, or electric-ultrasonic equipment. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Grind, cut, buff, or bend edges of workpieces to be joined to ensure snug fit, using power grinders and hand tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Repair products by dismantling, straightening, reshaping, and reassembling parts, using cutting torches, straightening presses, and hand tools. | E0 none |
| Hammer out bulges or bends in metal workpieces. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Ignite torches or start power supplies and strike arcs by touching electrodes to metals being welded, completing electrical circuits. | E2 structured facilities |
| Preheat workpieces prior to welding or bending, using torches or heating furnaces. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Guide and direct flames or electrodes on or across workpieces to straighten, bend, melt, or build up metal. | E2 structured facilities |
| Check grooves, angles, or gap allowances, using micrometers, calipers, and precision measuring instruments. | E2 structured facilities |
| Operate metal shaping, straightening, and bending machines, such as brakes and shears. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Set up and use ladders and scaffolding as necessary to complete work. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Melt and apply solder to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products, using soldering equipment. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Use fire suppression methods in industrial emergencies. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 438K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 448K
- Change (2025–35)
- +2.4%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $53,750
- Typical education needed for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
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 code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 74061 | 가스 용접원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 74062 | 전기 용접원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 74069 | 그 외 용접원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
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 7212Welders and Flame Cutters
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Welders and flame cutters weld and cut metal parts using gas flame, electric arc and other sources of heat to melt and cut, or to melt and fuse metal.
Tasks
- (a) welding metal parts using gas flame, or an electric arc, thermite compound or other methods;
- (b) operating resistance-welding machines;
- (c) using blowtorch to make and repair lead linings, pipes, floors and other lead fixtures;
- (d) brazing metal parts together;
- (e) cutting metal pieces using gas flame or an electric arc;
- (f) joining metal parts by hand soldering;
- (g) monitoring the fitting, burning, and welding processes to avoid overheating of parts or warping, shrinking, distortion or expansion of material;
- (h) examining work pieces for defects and measuring work pieces with straight edges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications.
Example occupations
Brazier · Flame cutter · Welder
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.
- brazierESCO 7212.1This occupation is broader
Braziers operate various equipment and machinery such as torches, soldering irons, fluxes and welding machines in order to join two metal pieces together, by heating, melting and forming a metal filler inbetween them, often brass or copper. Brazing can join metals such as aluminum, silver, copper, gold, and nickel. Brazing is a similar process to soldering but requires higher temperatures.
- pipe welderESCO 7212.3.3This occupation is broader
Pipe welders assemble and install parts and components of pipelines for the transport of goods such as water, steam and chemicals through them. They interpret specs such as pneumatics, hydraulics, for installation on site according to the safety and production requirements.
- soldererESCO 7212.2This occupation is broader
Solderers operate various equipment and machinery such as gas torches, soldering irons, welding machines, or electric-ultrasonic equipment in order to solder together two or more items (usually metals), by melting and forming a metal filler in between the joints, the filler metal has a lower melting point than the adjoining metal.
- spot welderESCO 7212.3.4This occupation is broader
Spot welders set up and tend spot welding machines designed to press and join metal workpieces together. The metal resistance to the passage of electrical current and the subsequent heat created in the process allows for the local melting and joining of the parts.
- welderESCO 7212.3This occupation is broader
Welders operate welding equipment in order to join metal workpieces together. They can use fusion welding processes based on different techniques and materials. They also perform simple visual inspection of welds.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
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 code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| H2913 | Soudeur / Soudeuse | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| H2916 | Soudeur / Soudeuse Tungsten Inert Gas -TIG- | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| H2917 | Soudeur / Soudeuse MIG MAG | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| H2915 | Chef soudeur / Cheffe soudeuse | Related, 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 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 7312 | Soldadores y oxicortadores | Same scopeprovisional |
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 code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 24422 | Berufe in der Schweiß- und Verbindungstechnik - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Same scope |
| 24423 | Berufe in der Schweiß- und Verbindungstechnik - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
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 code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 528 | 金属溶接・溶断従事者 | Same scope |
| 529 | その他の製品製造・加工処理従事者（金属製品） | Related, not a match |
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