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How exposed to AI is a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?

Of the 32 tasks O*NET lists for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 31 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Die SetterFabrication OperatorMachine OperatorMachine SetterPress Brake OperatorPress OperatorPunch Press OperatorSaw OperatorSetup OperatorSlitter Operator
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
32
tasks rated for this occupation
0%
hold a degree, from a survey of only 17
180k
people do this job in the US
95 of 107
least protected in production

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Only with software built on top

1
  • Plan sequences of operations, applying knowledge of physical properties of workpiece materials

Cannot be sped up

31
  • 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
  • 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
  • Remove housings, feed tubes, tool holders, or other accessories to replace worn or broken parts, such as springs or bushings
  • 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
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.