Job Duties Custom List 51-4072.00 — Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished.

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Closely Related Tasks	All Related Tasks	Job Zone	Code	Occupation
2	2	2	51-4022.00	Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
2	2	2	51-9161.00	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
1	2	2	51-7021.00	Furniture Finishers
1	2	2	51-9041.00	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
1	1	2	51-9195.03	Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing
1	1	2	51-4194.00	Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
1	1	2	51-6064.00	Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
1	1	1	51-6031.00	Sewing Machine Operators
1	1	2	51-7042.00	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
1	1	2	51-4031.00	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Job Duties: Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Install, adjust, and remove dies, synchronizing cams, forging hammers, and stop guides, using overhead cranes or other hoisting devices, and hand tools.
Remove dies from machines when production runs are finished.

Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.
Position and move metal wires or workpieces through a series of dies that compress and shape stock to form die impressions.
Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, piercing, or other operations to taper, shape, or form metal.
Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.
Start machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conform to specifications.
Confer with other workers about machine setups and operational specifications.
Trim and compress finished forgings to specified tolerances.
Repair, maintain, and replace parts on dies.
Select, align, and bolt positioning fixtures, stops, and specified dies to rams and anvils, forging rolls, or presses and hammers.
Sharpen cutting tools and drill bits, using bench grinders.
Install, adjust, and remove dies, synchronizing cams, forging hammers, and stop guides, using overhead cranes or other hoisting devices, and hand tools.
Remove dies from machines when production runs are finished.

Job Duties: Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators

Remove and replace dull cutting tools.
Maintain machines and remove and replace broken or worn machine tools, using hand tools.

Measure dimensions of finished workpieces to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments, templates, and fixtures.
Set up and operate computer-controlled machines or robots to perform one or more machine functions on metal or plastic workpieces.
Mount, install, align, and secure tools, attachments, fixtures, and workpieces on machines, using hand tools and precision measuring instruments.
Review program specifications or blueprints to determine and set machine operations and sequencing, finished workpiece dimensions, or numerical control sequences.
Stop machines to remove finished workpieces or to change tooling, setup, or workpiece placement, according to required machining sequences.
Listen to machines during operation to detect sounds such as those made by dull cutting tools or excessive vibration, and adjust machines to compensate for problems.
Implement changes to machine programs, and enter new specifications, using computers.
Calculate machine speed and feed ratios and the size and position of cuts.
Transfer commands from servers to computer numerical control (CNC) modules, using computer network links.
Check to ensure that workpieces are properly lubricated and cooled during machine operation.
Adjust machine feed and speed, change cutting tools, or adjust machine controls when automatic programming is faulty or if machines malfunction.
Monitor machine operation and control panel displays, and compare readings to specifications to detect malfunctions.
Insert control instructions into machine control units to start operation.
Modify cutting programs to account for problems encountered during operation, and save modified programs.
Write simple programs for computer-controlled machine tools.
Lift workpieces to machines manually or with hoists or cranes.
Input initial part dimensions into machine control panels.
Set up future jobs while machines are operating.
Confer with supervisors or programmers to resolve machine malfunctions or production errors or to obtain approval to continue production.
Stack or load finished items, or place items on conveyor systems.
Control coolant systems.
Clean machines, tooling, or parts, using solvents or solutions and rags.
Enter commands or load control media, such as tapes, cards, or disks, into machine controllers to retrieve programmed instructions.
Lay out and mark areas of parts to be shot peened and fill hoppers with shot.
Examine electronic components for defects or completeness of laser-beam trimming, using microscopes.
Remove and replace dull cutting tools.
Maintain machines and remove and replace broken or worn machine tools, using hand tools.

Job Duties: Furniture Finishers

Remove accessories prior to finishing, and mask areas that should not be exposed to finishing processes or substances.

Disassemble items to prepare them for finishing, using hand tools.

Brush, spray, or hand-rub finishing ingredients, such as paint, oil, stain, or wax, onto and into wood grain and apply lacquer or other sealers.
Fill and smooth cracks or depressions, remove marks and imperfections, and repair broken parts, using plastic or wood putty, glue, nails, or screws.
Smooth, shape, and touch up surfaces to prepare them for finishing, using sandpaper, pumice stones, steel wool, chisels, sanders, or grinders.
Remove old finishes and damaged or deteriorated parts, using hand tools, stripping tools, sandpaper, steel wool, abrasives, solvents, or dip baths.
Treat warped or stained surfaces to restore original contours and colors.
Select appropriate finishing ingredients such as paint, stain, lacquer, shellac, or varnish, depending on factors such as wood hardness and surface type.
Mix finish ingredients to obtain desired colors or shades.
Remove excess solvent, using cloths soaked in paint thinner.
Examine furniture to determine the extent of damage or deterioration, and to decide on the best method for repair or restoration.
Distress surfaces with woodworking tools or abrasives before staining to create an antique appearance, or rub surfaces to bring out highlights and shadings.
Stencil, gild, emboss, mark, or paint designs or borders to reproduce the original appearance of restored pieces, or to decorate new pieces.
Confer with customers to determine furniture colors or finishes.
Recommend woods, colors, finishes, and furniture styles, using knowledge of wood products, fashions, and styles.
Wash surfaces to prepare them for finish application.
Follow blueprints to produce specific designs.
Paint metal surfaces electrostatically, or by using a spray gun or other painting equipment.
Replace or refurbish upholstery of items, using tacks, adhesives, softeners, solvents, stains, or polish.
Design, create, and decorate entire pieces or specific parts of furniture, such as draws for cabinets.
Spread graining ink over metal portions of furniture to simulate wood-grain finish.
Brush bleaching agents on wood surfaces to restore natural color.
Remove accessories prior to finishing, and mask areas that should not be exposed to finishing processes or substances.
Disassemble items to prepare them for finishing, using hand tools.

Job Duties: Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Remove molds, mold components, and feeder tubes from machinery after production is complete.

Disassemble equipment to repair it or to replace parts, such as nozzles, punches, and filters.

Adjust machine components to regulate speeds, pressures, and temperatures, and amounts, dimensions, and flow of materials or ingredients.
Press control buttons to activate machinery and equipment.
Examine, measure, and weigh materials or products to verify conformance to standards, using measuring devices such as templates, micrometers, or scales.
Monitor machine operations and observe lights and gauges to detect malfunctions.
Clear jams, and remove defective or substandard materials or products.
Notify supervisors when extruded filaments fail to meet standards.
Record and maintain production data, such as meter readings, and quantities, types, and dimensions of materials produced.
Review work orders, specifications, or instructions to determine materials, ingredients, procedures, components, settings, and adjustments for extruding, forming, pressing, or compacting machines.
Turn controls to adjust machine functions, such as regulating air pressure, creating vacuums, and adjusting coolant flow.
Clean dies, arbors, compression chambers, and molds, using swabs, sponges, or air hoses.
Synchronize speeds of sections of machines when producing products involving several steps or processes.
Move materials, supplies, components, and finished products between storage and work areas, using work aids such as racks, hoists, and handtrucks.
Activate machines to shape or form products, such as candy bars, light bulbs, balloons, or insulation panels.
Select and install machine components, such as dies, molds, and cutters, according to specifications, using hand tools and measuring devices.
Send product samples to laboratories for analysis.
Couple air and gas lines to machines to maintain plasticity of material and to regulate solidification of final products.
Pour, scoop, or dump specified ingredients, metal assemblies, or mixtures into sections of machine prior to starting machines.
Measure, mix, cut, shape, soften, and join materials and ingredients, such as powder, cornmeal, or rubber to prepare them for machine processing.
Remove materials or products from molds or from extruding, forming, pressing, or compacting machines, and stack or store them for additional processing.
Feed products into machines by hand or conveyor.
Measure arbors and dies to verify sizes specified on work tickets.
Thread extruded strips through water tanks and hold-down bars, or attach strands to wires and draw them through tubes.
Complete work tickets, and place them with products.
Swab molds with solutions to prevent products from sticking.
Ignite burners to preheat products, or use torches to apply heat.
Install, align, and adjust neck rings, press plungers, and feeder tubes.
Remove molds, mold components, and feeder tubes from machinery after production is complete.
Disassemble equipment to repair it or to replace parts, such as nozzles, punches, and filters.

Job Duties: Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing

Remove or add stencils during blasting to create differing cut depths, intricate designs, or rough, pitted finishes.

Verify depths and dimensions of cuts or carvings to ensure adherence to specifications, blueprints, or models, using measuring instruments.
Move fingers over surfaces of carvings to ensure smoothness of finish.
Shape, trim, or touch up roughed-out designs with appropriate tools to finish carvings.
Lay out designs or dimensions from sketches or blueprints on stone surfaces, freehand or by transferring them from tracing paper, using scribes or chalk and measuring instruments.
Cut, shape, and finish rough blocks of building or monumental stone, according to diagrams or patterns.
Drill holes and cut or carve moldings and grooves in stone, according to diagrams and patterns.
Select chisels, pneumatic or surfacing tools, or sandblasting nozzles, and determine sequence of use.
Study artistic objects or graphic materials, such as models, sketches, or blueprints, to plan carving or cutting techniques.
Carve designs or figures in full or bas relief on stone, employing knowledge of stone carving techniques and sense of artistry to produce carvings consistent with designers' plans.
Carve rough designs freehand or by chipping along marks on stone, using mallets and chisels or pneumatic tools.
Guide nozzles over stone, following stencil outlines, or chip along marks to create designs or to work surfaces down to specified finishes.
Smooth surfaces of carvings, using rubbing stones.
Load sandblasting equipment with abrasives, attach nozzles to hoses, and turn valves to admit compressed air and activate jets.
Dress stone surfaces, using bushhammers.
Copy drawings on rough clay or plaster models.
Remove or add stencils during blasting to create differing cut depths, intricate designs, or rough, pitted finishes.

Job Duties: Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

Remove and replace worn or broken machine parts, using hand tools.

Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur.
Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications.
Study blueprints or layouts of metal workpieces to determine grinding procedures, and to plan machine setups and operational sequences.
Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grinding procedures.
Compute numbers, widths, and angles of cutting tools, micrometers, scales, and gauges, and adjust tools to produce specified cuts.
Turn valves to direct flow of coolant against cutting wheels and workpieces during grinding.
Set up and operate grinding or polishing machines to grind metal workpieces, such as dies, parts, and tools.
Dress grinding wheels, according to specifications.
File or finish surfaces of workpieces, using prescribed hand tools.
Perform basic maintenance, such as cleaning and lubricating machine parts.
Remove finished workpieces from machines and place them in boxes or on racks, setting aside pieces that are defective.
Fit parts together in pre-assembly to ensure that dimensions are accurate.
Attach workpieces to grinding machines and form specified sections and repair cracks, using welding or brazing equipment.
Duplicate workpiece contours, using tracer attachments.
Inspect dies to detect defects, assess wear, and verify specifications, using micrometers, steel gauge pins, and loupes.
Place workpieces in electroplating solutions or apply pigments to surfaces of workpieces to highlight ridges and grooves.
Straighten workpieces and remove dents, using straightening presses and hammers.
Remove and replace worn or broken machine parts, using hand tools.

Job Duties: Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Remove spindles from machines and bobbins from spindles.

Notify supervisors or mechanics of equipment malfunctions.
Thread yarn, thread, or fabric through guides, needles, and rollers of machines.
Start machines, monitor operation, and make adjustments as needed.
Inspect machinery to determine whether repairs are needed.
Record production data such as numbers and types of bobbins wound.
Replace depleted supply packages with full packages.
Stop machines when specified amount of products has been produced.
Inspect products to verify that they meet specifications and to determine whether machine adjustment is needed.
Tend machines that twist together two or more strands of yarn or insert additional twists into single strands of yarn to increase strength, smoothness, or uniformity of yarn.
Observe operations to detect defects, malfunctions, or supply shortages.
Operate machines for test runs to verify adjustments and to obtain product samples.
Observe bobbins as they are winding and cut threads to remove loaded bobbins, using knives.
Unwind lengths of yarn, thread, or twine from spools and wind onto bobbins.
Adjust machine settings such as speed or tension to produce products that meet specifications.
Study guides, samples, charts, and specification sheets, or confer with supervisors or engineering staff to determine setup requirements.
Tend spinning frames that draw out and twist roving or sliver into yarn.
Install, level, and align machine components such as gears, chains, guides, dies, cutters, or needles to set up machinery for operation.
Place bobbins on spindles and insert spindles into bobbin-winding machines.
Tend machines with multiple winding units that wind thread onto shuttle bobbins for use on sewing machines or other kinds of bobbins for sole-stitching, knitting, or weaving machinery.
Repair or replace worn or defective parts or components, using hand tools.
Measure bobbins periodically, using gauges, and turn screws to adjust tension if bobbins are not of specified size.
Clean, oil, and lubricate machines, using air hoses, cleaning solutions, rags, oilcans, and grease guns.
Tend machines that wind wire onto bobbins, preparatory to formation of wire netting used in reinforcing sheet glass.
Remove spindles from machines and bobbins from spindles.

Job Duties: Sewing Machine Operators

Remove holding devices and finished items from machines.

Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions.
Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components.
Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.
Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together.
Match cloth pieces in correct sequences prior to sewing them, and verify that dye lots and patterns match.
Fold or stretch edges or lengths of items while sewing to facilitate forming specified sections.
Cut excess material or thread from finished products.
Select supplies such as fasteners and thread, according to job requirements.
Examine and measure finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using rulers.
Start and operate or tend machines, such as single or double needle serging and flat-bed felling machines, to automatically join, reinforce, or decorate material or articles.
Record quantities of materials processed.
Turn knobs, screws, and dials to adjust settings of machines, according to garment styles and equipment performance.
Attach tape, trim, appliques, or elastic to specified garments or garment parts, according to item specifications.
Repair or alter items by adding replacement parts or missing stitches.
Perform equipment maintenance tasks such as replacing needles, sanding rough areas of needles, or cleaning and oiling sewing machines.
Mount attachments, such as needles, cutting blades, or pattern plates, and adjust machine guides according to specifications.
Cut materials according to specifications, using blades, scissors, or electric knives.
Inspect garments, and examine repair tags and markings on garments to locate defects or damage, and mark errors as necessary.
Attach buttons, hooks, zippers, fasteners, or other accessories to fabric, using feeding hoppers or clamp holders.
Position material or articles in clamps, templates, or hoop frames prior to automatic operation of machines.
Draw markings or pin appliques on fabric to obtain variations in design.
Tape or twist together thread or cord to repair breaks.
Baste edges of material to align and temporarily secure parts for final assembly.
Position and mark patterns on materials to prepare for sewing.
Perform specialized or automatic sewing machine functions, such as buttonhole making or tacking.
Remove holding devices and finished items from machines.

Job Duties: Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing

Remove and replace worn parts, bits, belts, sandpaper, or shaping tools.

Set up, program, operate, or tend computerized or manual woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, or wood-nailing machines.
Examine finished workpieces for smoothness, shape, angle, depth-of-cut, or conformity to specifications and verify dimensions, visually and using hands, rules, calipers, templates, or gauges.
Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly.
Monitor operation of machines and make adjustments to correct problems and ensure conformance to specifications.
Examine raw woodstock for defects and to ensure conformity to size and other specification standards.
Adjust machine tables or cutting devices and set controls on machines to produce specified cuts or operations.
Install and adjust blades, cutterheads, boring-bits, or sanding-belts, using hand tools and rules.
Change alignment and adjustment of sanding, cutting, or boring machine guides to prevent defects in finished products, using hand tools.
Determine product specifications and materials, work methods, and machine setup requirements, according to blueprints, oral or written instructions, drawings, or work orders.
Feed stock through feed mechanisms or conveyors into planing, shaping, boring, mortising, or sanding machines to produce desired components.
Push or hold workpieces against, under, or through cutting, boring, or shaping mechanisms.
Select knives, saws, blades, cutter heads, cams, bits, or belts, according to workpiece, machine functions, or product specifications.
Secure woodstock against a guide or in a holding device, place woodstock on a conveyor, or dump woodstock in a hopper to feed woodstock into machines.
Inspect and mark completed workpieces and stack them on pallets, in boxes, or on conveyors so that they can be moved to the next workstation.
Inspect pulleys, drive belts, guards, or fences on machines to ensure that machines will operate safely.
Clean or maintain products, machines, or work areas.
Attach and adjust guides, stops, clamps, chucks, or feed mechanisms, using hand tools.
Trim wood parts according to specifications, using planes, chisels, or wood files or sanders.
Grease or oil woodworking machines.
Unclamp workpieces and remove them from machines.
Start machines and move levers to engage hydraulic lifts that press woodstocks into desired forms and disengage lifts after appropriate drying times.
Operate gluing machines to glue pieces of wood together, or to press and affix wood veneer to wood surfaces.
Set up, program, or control computer-aided design (CAD) or computer numerical control (CNC) machines.
Control hoists to remove parts or products from work stations.
Sharpen knives, bits, or other cutting or shaping tools.
Remove and replace worn parts, bits, belts, sandpaper, or shaping tools.

Job Duties: Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Remove housings, feed tubes, tool holders, or other accessories to replace worn or broken parts, such as springs or bushings.

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