Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
Production Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 51-9031.00
Use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber.
- 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
0.17–0.19· 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
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 7315Glass Makers, Cutters, Grinders and Finishers0.19
- ISCO-08 7532Garment and Related Patternmakers and Cutters0.17
Task-level exposure
18 rated tasks · 0 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (0.0%)
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
| Task (O*NET 30.2) | Claude.aiRaw / share % | APIRaw / share % |
|---|---|---|
Separate materials or products according to size, weight, type, condition, color, or shade.51-9031.00 | 0.00000.0 | 0.00000.0 |
| Not observed on any surface — 17 task(s) — These tasks have no row in the source for this release. The 0 in the share row is a display-stage composition ratio; absence is what the — in the raw row states. | ||
Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes. | —0 | —0 |
Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish. | —0 | —0 |
Cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools. | —0 | —0 |
Mark identification numbers, trademarks, grades, marketing data, sizes, or model numbers on products. | —0 | —0 |
Read work orders to determine dimensions, cutting locations, and quantities to cut. | —0 | —0 |
Mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes. | —0 | —0 |
Unroll, lay out, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines. | —0 | —0 |
Fold or shape materials before or after cutting them. | —0 | —0 |
Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns. | —0 | —0 |
Replace or sharpen dulled cutting tools such as saws. | —0 | —0 |
Count or weigh and bundle items. | —0 | —0 |
Stack cut items and load them on racks or conveyors or onto trucks. | —0 | —0 |
Clean, treat, buff, or polish finished items, using grinders, brushes, chisels, and cleaning solutions and polishing materials. | —0 | —0 |
Route items to provide cutouts for parts, using portable routers, grinders, and hand tools. | —0 | —0 |
Lower table-mounted cutters such as knife blades, cutting wheels, or saws to cut items to specified sizes. | —0 | —0 |
Adjust guides and stops to control depths and widths of cuts. | —0 | —0 |
Transport items to work or storage areas, using carts. | —0 | —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 |
|---|---|
Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes.O*NET Task ID 14349 | 0.0 |
Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish.O*NET Task ID 14350 | 0.0 |
Cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools.O*NET Task ID 14351 | 0.0 |
Separate materials or products according to size, weight, type, condition, color, or shade.O*NET Task ID 14352 | 0.0 |
Mark identification numbers, trademarks, grades, marketing data, sizes, or model numbers on products.O*NET Task ID 14353 | 0.0 |
Read work orders to determine dimensions, cutting locations, and quantities to cut.O*NET Task ID 14354 | 0.0 |
Count or weigh and bundle items.O*NET Task ID 14355 | 0.0 |
Mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes.O*NET Task ID 14356 | 0.0 |
Unroll, lay out, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines.O*NET Task ID 14357 | 0.0 |
Stack cut items and load them on racks or conveyors or onto trucks.O*NET Task ID 14358 | 0.0 |
Fold or shape materials before or after cutting them.O*NET Task ID 14359 | 0.0 |
Clean, treat, buff, or polish finished items, using grinders, brushes, chisels, and cleaning solutions and polishing materials.O*NET Task ID 14360 | 0.0 |
Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns.O*NET Task ID 14361 | 0.0 |
Route items to provide cutouts for parts, using portable routers, grinders, and hand tools.O*NET Task ID 14362 | 0.0 |
Replace or sharpen dulled cutting tools such as saws.O*NET Task ID 14363 | 0.0 |
Lower table-mounted cutters such as knife blades, cutting wheels, or saws to cut items to specified sizes.O*NET Task ID 14364 | 0.0 |
Adjust guides and stops to control depths and widths of cuts.O*NET Task ID 14365 | 0.0 |
Transport items to work or storage areas, using carts.O*NET Task ID 14366 | 0.0 |
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 (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 |
|---|---|
| Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes. | Core |
| Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish. | Core |
| Cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools. | Core |
| Separate materials or products according to size, weight, type, condition, color, or shade. | Core |
| Mark identification numbers, trademarks, grades, marketing data, sizes, or model numbers on products. | Core |
| Read work orders to determine dimensions, cutting locations, and quantities to cut. | Core |
| Mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes. | Core |
| Unroll, lay out, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines. | Core |
| Fold or shape materials before or after cutting them. | Core |
| Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns. | Core |
| Replace or sharpen dulled cutting tools such as saws. | Core |
| Count or weigh and bundle items. | Supplemental |
| Stack cut items and load them on racks or conveyors or onto trucks. | Supplemental |
| Clean, treat, buff, or polish finished items, using grinders, brushes, chisels, and cleaning solutions and polishing materials. | Supplemental |
| Route items to provide cutouts for parts, using portable routers, grinders, and hand tools. | Supplemental |
| Lower table-mounted cutters such as knife blades, cutting wheels, or saws to cut items to specified sizes. | Supplemental |
| Adjust guides and stops to control depths and widths of cuts. | Supplemental |
| Transport items to work or storage areas, using carts. | 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 |
|---|---|
| Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Separate materials or products according to size, weight, type, condition, color, or shade. | E2 structured facilities |
| Mark identification numbers, trademarks, grades, marketing data, sizes, or model numbers on products. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Unroll, lay out, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Fold or shape materials before or after cutting them. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Replace or sharpen dulled cutting tools such as saws. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Count or weigh and bundle items. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Stack cut items and load them on racks or conveyors or onto trucks. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Clean, treat, buff, or polish finished items, using grinders, brushes, chisels, and cleaning solutions and polishing materials. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Route items to provide cutouts for parts, using portable routers, grinders, and hand tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Lower table-mounted cutters such as knife blades, cutting wheels, or saws to cut items to specified sizes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Adjust guides and stops to control depths and widths of cuts. | E2 structured facilities |
| Transport items to work or storage areas, using carts. | E2 structured facilities |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 6K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 5K
- Change (2025–35)
- -18.9%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $38,020
- Typical education needed for entry
- No formal educational credential
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72121 | 의복 재단사 | Overlapping, not the same | confirmed |
| 72129 | 그 외 재단사 | Overlapping, not the same | reviewed |
| 93099 | 그 외 제조 관련 단순 종사원 | Related, not a match | 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 7315Glass Makers, Cutters, Grinders and Finishers
- ISCO-08 7532Garment and Related Patternmakers and Cutters
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.
- clothing cutterESCO 7532.2This occupation is broader
Clothing cutters mark, cut, shape, and trim textile or related materials according to blueprint or specification in the manufacture of wearing apparel.
- leather goods hand cutting operatorESCO 7536.1.2This occupation is broader
Leather goods hand cutting operators check leather and their materials and cutting dies, select areas to be cut, position pieces on the leather and other materials, match the leather goods components (pieces) and check cut pieces against specifications and quality requirements. All the activities and tasks are performed manually.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| H2409 | Coupeur / Coupeuse en industrie textile et matériaux souples | Overlapping, not the sameprovisional |
| H2811 | Plieur / Plieuse de verre plat | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 7833 | Cortadores de tejidos, cuero, piel y otros materiales | Overlapping, not the same |
| 7615 | Sopladores, modeladores, laminadores, cortadores y pulidores de vidrio | Related, 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 code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 28222 | Berufe in der Bekleidungs-, Hut- und Mützenherstellung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
| 28322 | Berufe in der Sattlerei und Herstellung von Lederutensilien - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 532 | 窯業・土石製品製造従事者 | Related, not a match |
| 535 | 紡織・衣服・繊維製品製造従事者 | Related, not a match |
| 538 | ゴム・プラスチック製品製造従事者 | Related, not a match |
| 539 | その他の製品製造・加工処理従事者（金属製品を除く） | 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