Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is Also Know as
In different settings, Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is titled as
- Computer Numerical Control Lathe Operator (CNC Lathe Operator)
- Lathe Operator
- Lathe Set Up Person
- Machine Operator
- Numerical Control Operator (NC Operator)
- Screw Machine Operator
- Screw Machine Tool Setter
- Setup Operator
- Turn Operator
Education and Training of Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is categorized in Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Experience Required for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education Required for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Degrees Related to Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Bachelor in Machine Tool Technology/Machinist
- Associate Degree Courses in Machine Tool Technology/Machinist
- Masters Degree Courses in Machine Tool Technology/Machinist
Training Required for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Related Ocuupations
Some Ocuupations related to Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in different industries are
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
- Tool and Die Makers
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
- Machinists
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
What Do Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic do?
- Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators.
- Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material requirements and operational sequences.
- Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances.
- Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces.
- Start lathe or turning machines and observe operations to ensure that specifications are met.
- Select cutting tools and tooling instructions, according to written specifications or knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.
- Crank machines through cycles, stopping to adjust tool positions and machine controls to ensure specified timing, clearances, and tolerances.
- Lift metal stock or workpieces manually or using hoists, and position and secure them in machines, using fasteners and hand tools.
- Replace worn tools, and sharpen dull cutting tools and dies, using bench grinders or cutter-grinding machines.
- Position, secure, and align cutting tools in toolholders on machines, using hand tools, and verify their positions with measuring instruments.
- Compute unspecified dimensions and machine settings, using knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.
- Install holding fixtures, cams, gears, and stops to control stock and tool movement, using hand tools, power tools, and measuring instruments.
- Move toolholders manually or by turning handwheels, or engage automatic feeding mechanisms to feed tools to and along workpieces.
- Turn valve handles to direct the flow of coolant onto work areas or to coat disks with spinning compounds.
- Mount attachments, such as relieving or tracing attachments, to perform operations, such as duplicating contours of templates or trimming workpieces.
- Refill, change, and monitor the level of fluids, such as oil and coolant, in machines.
Qualities of Good Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
- Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
- Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
- Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
- Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
- Trunk Strength: The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
- Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
- Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
- Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Rate Control: The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
- Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
- Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
- Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
- Depth Perception: The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
- Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
- Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
- Hearing Sensitivity: The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
- Auditory Attention: The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
- Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Extent Flexibility: The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
- Number Facility: The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
- Dynamic Strength: The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
- Mathematical Reasoning: The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
- Originality: The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Visual Color Discrimination: The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
- Stamina: The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
- Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
- Wrist-Finger Speed: The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.
- Response Orientation: The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
- Gross Body Coordination: The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
- Gross Body Equilibrium: The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
- Memorization: The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
- Speed of Closure: The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
- Time Sharing: The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
- Sound Localization: The ability to tell the direction from which a sound originated.
- Spatial Orientation: The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
- Explosive Strength: The ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw an object.
- Glare Sensitivity: The ability to see objects in the presence of a glare or bright lighting.
- Peripheral Vision: The ability to see objects or movement of objects to one's side when the eyes are looking ahead.
- Night Vision: The ability to see under low-light conditions.
- Speed of Limb Movement: The ability to quickly move the arms and legs.
- Dynamic Flexibility: The ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Tools Used by Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- 1-2-3 blocks
- Allen wrench sets
- Automatic tool changers
- Automatic turret lathes
- Ball peen hammers
- Bar feeders
- Bench grinders
- Bevel protractors
- Bore gauges
- Boring heads
- Capstan lathes
- Carbide cutting inserts
- Center finders
- Center-cutting end mills
- Coaxial indicators
- Combination square sets
- Computer numerically controlled CNC lathes
- Coordinate measuring machines CMM
- Crescent wrenches
- Cutoff tools
- Dial test indicators
- Digital micrometers
- Digital radius gauges
- Drill gauge sets
- Electric overhead travelling EOT cranes
- Electronic edge finders
- Face shields
- Face/turn tools
- Fork trucks
- Gage blocks
- Gang-tool lathes
- Go/no go gauge sets
- Groove tools
- Hand taps
- Height setters
- Horizontal lathes
- Inside digital ID calipers
- Jib hoists
- Lathe chucks
- Lubrication guns
- Machinists' taper gauges
- Mechanical edge finders
- Mini hacksaws
- Mobile radios
- Multispindle lathes
- Oil dispensing cans
- Open end hand wrenches
- Outside digital OD calipers
- Parting off tool holders
- Parting off tools
- Plug gauges
- Power hacksaws
- Precision milling vises
- Profile projectors
- Protective ear plugs
- Protective safety glasses
- Push-pull rules
- Rubber mallets
- Safety gloves
- Screw pitch gauge
- Sine bars
- Spanner wrenches
- Steel rules
- Steel squares
- Straight edges
- Straight screwdrivers
- Surface finish comparators
- Swiss turning centers
- Swiss-style lathes
- T handle tap wrenches
- Tapping tools
- Threading tools
- Tool probes
- Trammels
- Vernier calipers
- Vernier height gauges
- Vertical machining centers
- Vertical turning centers
Technology Skills required for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Autodesk HSMWorks
- Computer numerical control CNC editor software
- G-code
- Inventory tracking software
- M-code