Metal and Plastic Machine Workers: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more

Education Required
Although most metal and plastic machine workers typically have a high school diploma, many computer numerically controlled machine tool programmers usually need to complete coursework beyond high school. Some community colleges and other schools offer courses and certificate programs in operating metal and plastics machines including CNC programming.
Training Required
Machine operator trainees usually begin by watching and helping experienced workers on the job. Under supervision, they may start by supplying materials, starting and stopping the machines, or by removing finished products. Then they advance to more difficult tasks that operators perform, such as adjusting feed speeds, changing cutting tools, and inspecting a finished product for defects. Eventually, some develop the skills and experience to set up machines.
Job Outlook
The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: -9% (Decline)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.)
Advancement
Advancement usually includes higher pay and more responsibilities. With experience and expertise, workers can become trainees for more advanced positions. It is common for machine operators to move into setup or machinery maintenance positions. Setup workers may become industrial machinery mechanics and maintenance workers, or machinists or tool and die makers.
Licenses/Certifications
Certification can show competence and can be helpful for advancement. The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) offers certification in numerous metalworking specializations.
Median pay: How much do Metal and Plastic Machine Workers make?
$34,840 Annual Salary
$16.75 per hour

Metal and plastic machine workers set up and operate machines that cut, shape, and form metal and plastic materials or pieces.

What do Metal and Plastic Machine Workers do?

Metal and plastic machine workers typically do the following:

  • Set up machines according to blueprints
  • Monitor machines for unusual sound or vibration
  • Insert material into machines, manually or with a hoist
  • Operate metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines
  • Adjust machine settings for temperature, cycle times, and speed and feed rates
  • Remove finished products and smooth rough edges and imperfections
  • Test and compare finished workpieces to specifications
  • Remove and replace dull cutting tools
  • Document production numbers in a computer database

Consumer products are made with many metal and plastic parts. These parts are produced by machines that are operated by metal and plastic machine workers. In general, these workers are separated into two groups: those who set up machines for operation and those who operate machines during production. Many workers, however, perform both tasks.

Although many workers both set up and operate machines, some may specialize in being a machine setter or a machine operator and tender.

Careers for Metal and Plastic Machine Workers

  • Airset casters
  • Airset molders
  • Aluminum molding machine operators
  • Aluminum polishers
  • Aluminum pourers
  • Annealing furnace operators
  • Anodizers
  • Blow mold operators
  • Bore mill operators for plastic
  • Boring mill operators for metal
  • Brass rollers
  • Brazing machine operators
  • Brazing machine setter and setup operators
  • Brazing machine tenders
  • Brazing workers
  • CNC operators
  • CNC programmers
  • Carburizing furnace operators
  • Certified maintenance welders
  • Chrome platers
  • Chromium platers
  • Cold header operators
  • Combination machine tool operators
  • Compression molding machine operators
  • Computer control programmers and operators
  • Computer numerically controlled (CNC) shot peening operators
  • Computer numerically controlled machine tool programmers
  • Computer-controlled machine tool operators
  • Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic
  • Copper platers
  • Core strippers
  • Crimping machine operators for metal
  • Cutting torch operators
  • Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders
  • Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Deburring machine operators
  • Drill press operators for metal
  • Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders
  • Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Electric arc furnace operators
  • Electrogalvanizing machine operators
  • Electron beam welder setters
  • Electroplaters
  • Engine lathe operators
  • Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders
  • Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Flame hardening machine setters
  • Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders
  • Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Forging roll operators
  • Forming roll operators
  • Foundry mold and coremakers
  • Foundry molders
  • Four slide machine setters
  • Galvanizers
  • Gear cutters
  • Green sand molders
  • Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders
  • Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Hard chrome platers
  • Header setup operators
  • Heat treater apprentices
  • Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders
  • Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Heat treating furnace tenders
  • Horizontal boring mill operators for metal
  • Induction machine setters
  • Ingot casters
  • Iron pourers
  • Jewel bearing facers
  • Jig boring machine operators for metal
  • Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders
  • Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Lay-out workers, metal and plastic
  • Machine operators and tenders
  • Machine setters
  • Machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Machine welders
  • Melt room operators
  • Metal CNC operators
  • Metal grinders
  • Metal milling machine operators
  • Metal mockup makers
  • Metal numerical control programmers
  • Metal numerical tool programmers
  • Metal patternmakers
  • Metal platers
  • Metal punch press operators
  • Metal rotary head milling machine setup operators
  • Metal sheet roller operators
  • Metal slitters
  • Metal spraying machine operators
  • Metal stampers
  • Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
  • Metalizing machine operators
  • Metalworking machine operators
  • Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders
  • Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Model makers
  • Model makers, metal and plastic
  • Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders
  • Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Molten iron pourers
  • Multi-operation forming machine setters
  • Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders
  • Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Nickel platers
  • No bake molders
  • Numerical control machine operators, metal and plastic
  • Numerical tool and process control programmers
  • Operators, computer control
  • Oxy-gas cutters
  • Patternmakers
  • Patternmakers, metal and plastic
  • Pipe straighteners
  • Plasma cutters
  • Plastic CNC machine operators
  • Plastic cup fabricating machine operators
  • Plastic jig and fixture builders
  • Plastic numerical tool and process control programmers
  • Plastic straightening roll operators
  • Plastic thread milling machine setup operators
  • Plastics-working machine operators
  • Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders
  • Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Plating machine operators
  • Pourers and casters
  • Pourers and casters, metal
  • Programmers, numerical tool and process control
  • Radial drill operators for plastic
  • Radial drill press operators for plastic
  • Reaming machine operators for plastic
  • Reserve tube welders
  • Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders
  • Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
  • Sand molders
  • Screw machine operators
  • Screw machine tool setters
  • Sheet metal computer numerically controlled (CNC) programmers
  • Smelter operators
  • Soldering machine operators
  • Soldering machine setter and setup operators
  • Soldering machine tenders
  • Spike machine operators
  • Steel pourers
  • Steel rollers
  • Swager operators
  • Swaging machine operators
  • Tin platers
  • Tin pourers
  • Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners
  • Tool polishing machine operators
  • Ultrasonic welding machine operators
  • Wax pattern coaters
  • Welding machine operators
  • Welding machine setters, operators, and tenders
  • Welding robot operators
  • Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
  • White metal casters
  • Wire annealers
  • Wire drawing machine tenders
  • Wire mill rovers
  • Wire temperers

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