Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
What they do
Set up, operate, or tend milling or planing machines to mill, plane, shape, groove, or profile metal or plastic work pieces.
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
About milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
Other titles
Machine Operator, Mill Operator, Miller, Milling Operator
Tasks they perform
- Position and secure workpieces on machines, using holding devices, measuring instruments, hand tools, and hoists.
- Remove workpieces from machines, and check to ensure that they conform to specifications, using measuring instruments such as microscopes, gauges, calipers, and micrometers.
- Verify alignment of workpieces on machines, using measuring instruments such as rules, gauges, or calipers.
Skills they need
- Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Licenses and Certifications
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
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Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
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Additional career information and resources
Learn more about milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic with these helpful sites.
- Association for Manufacturing Technology (external link opens new tab)
- Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International (external link opens new tab)
- National Institute for Metalworking Skills (external link opens new tab)
- National Tooling and Machining Association (external link opens new tab)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Metal and plastic machine workers (external link opens new tab)
- Precision Machined Products Association (external link opens new tab)
- Precision Metalforming Association (external link opens new tab)
- Society of Manufacturing Engineers (external link opens new tab)