Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

What Does a Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Do?

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.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• 1Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances.
• 2Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces.
• 3Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material requirements and operational sequences.
• 4Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators.
• 5Replace worn tools, and sharpen dull cutting tools and dies, using bench grinders or cutter-grinding machines.
• 6Move toolholders manually or by turning handwheels, or engage automatic feeding mechanisms to feed tools to and along workpieces.
• 7Compute unspecified dimensions and machine settings, using knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.
• 8Crank machines through cycles, stopping to adjust tool positions and machine controls to ensure specified timing, clearances, and tolerances.

Required Skills

• Autodesk HSMWorks
• Computer numerical control CNC editor software
• G-code
• Inventory tracking software
• M-code

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary