Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
Production Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 51-4194.00
Perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.
- 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
0.17
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 17 hidden tasks18 rated tasks · 1 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (5.6%)
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
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.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Study blueprints or layouts of metal workpieces to determine grinding procedures, and to plan machine setups and operational sequences.O*NET Task ID 10358 | 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®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (18)
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 |
|---|---|
| Dress grinding wheels, according to specifications. | Core |
| Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur. | Core |
| Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications. | Core |
| Set up and operate grinding or polishing machines to grind metal workpieces, such as dies, parts, and tools. | Core |
| Remove finished workpieces from machines and place them in boxes or on racks, setting aside pieces that are defective. | Core |
| File or finish surfaces of workpieces, using prescribed hand tools. | Core |
| Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grinding procedures. | Core |
| Perform basic maintenance, such as cleaning and lubricating machine parts. | Core |
| Remove and replace worn or broken machine parts, using hand tools. | Core |
| Compute numbers, widths, and angles of cutting tools, micrometers, scales, and gauges, and adjust tools to produce specified cuts. | Core |
| Study blueprints or layouts of metal workpieces to determine grinding procedures, and to plan machine setups and operational sequences. | Core |
| Inspect dies to detect defects, assess wear, and verify specifications, using micrometers, steel gauge pins, and loupes. | Core |
| Fit parts together in pre-assembly to ensure that dimensions are accurate. | Core |
| Turn valves to direct flow of coolant against cutting wheels and workpieces during grinding. | Supplemental |
| Duplicate workpiece contours, using tracer attachments. | Supplemental |
| Straighten workpieces and remove dents, using straightening presses and hammers. | Supplemental |
| Attach workpieces to grinding machines and form specified sections and repair cracks, using welding or brazing equipment. | Supplemental |
| Place workpieces in electroplating solutions or apply pigments to surfaces of workpieces to highlight ridges and grooves. | Supplemental |
1.04/ 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 |
|---|---|
| Dress grinding wheels, according to specifications. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur. | E2 structured facilities |
| Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Set up and operate grinding or polishing machines to grind metal workpieces, such as dies, parts, and tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Remove finished workpieces from machines and place them in boxes or on racks, setting aside pieces that are defective. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| File or finish surfaces of workpieces, using prescribed hand tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grinding procedures. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Perform basic maintenance, such as cleaning and lubricating machine parts. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Remove and replace worn or broken machine parts, using hand tools. | E0 none |
| Compute numbers, widths, and angles of cutting tools, micrometers, scales, and gauges, and adjust tools to produce specified cuts. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Turn valves to direct flow of coolant against cutting wheels and workpieces during grinding. | E2 structured facilities |
| Inspect dies to detect defects, assess wear, and verify specifications, using micrometers, steel gauge pins, and loupes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Duplicate workpiece contours, using tracer attachments. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Straighten workpieces and remove dents, using straightening presses and hammers. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Attach workpieces to grinding machines and form specified sections and repair cracks, using welding or brazing equipment. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Place workpieces in electroplating solutions or apply pigments to surfaces of workpieces to highlight ridges and grooves. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Fit parts together in pre-assembly to ensure that dimensions are accurate. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 6K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 5K
- Change (2025–35)
- -6.8%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $50,060
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85104 | 연삭기 및 연마기 조작원 | This occupation is narrower | 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 7224Metal Polishers, Wheel Grinders and Tool Sharpeners
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.
- tool grinderESCO 7224.2Same scope
Tool grinder perform precision grinding processes on metal objects and tools. They grind, sharpen or smoothen metal surfaces using the appropriate tools and instruments. Tool grinders follow tooling instructions and assure the processed workpiece meets the necessary specifications.
- cylindrical grinder operatorESCO 8122.4Overlapping, not the same
Cylindrical grinding operators set up and tend cylindrical grinding machines designed to apply abrasive processes in order to remove small amounts of excess material and smoothen metal workpieces by multiple abrasive grinding wheels with diamond teeth as a cutting device for very precise and light cuts, as the workpiece is fed past it and formed into a cylinder.
- filing machine operatorESCO 8122.9Overlapping, not the same
Filing machine operators set up and tend filing machines such as band files, reciprocating files and bench filing machines in order to smoothen metal, wood or plastic surfaces by precisely cutting and removing small amounts of excess material.
- grinding machine operatorESCO 7223.4.2Overlapping, not the same
Grinding machine operators set up, program and control grinding machines, designed to apply abrasive processes in order to remove small amounts of excess material and smoothen metal workpieces by using an abrasive wheel with diamond teeth as a cutting device for very precise and light cuts. They read grinding machine blueprints and tooling instructions, perform regular machine maintenance, and make adjustments to the grinding controls, such as the depth of cuts and the rotation speed.
- surface grinding machine operatorESCO 8122.11Overlapping, not the same
Surface grinding machine operators set up and tend surface grinding machines designed to apply abrasive processes in order to remove small amounts of excess material and smoothen metal workpieces by an abrasive grinding wheel, or wash grinder, rotating on a horizontal or vertical axis.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| H2918 | Affûteur / Affûteuse d'outillage industriel | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| H2903 | Usineur / Usineuse | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| H3401 | Opérateur / Opératrice de traitement d'abrasion de surface | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 7324 | Pulidores de metales y afiladores de herramientas | This occupation is narrower |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 24222 | Berufe in der schleifenden Metallbearbeitung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrower |
| 24201 | Berufe in der Metallbearbeitung (ohne Spezialisierung) - Helfer-/Anlerntätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 523 | 金属工作機械作業従事者 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 527 | 金属彫刻・表面処理従事者 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 529 | その他の製品製造・加工処理従事者（金属製品） | 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