What do they do?

Set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic work pieces.

Also known as:

Cell Operator, Centerless Grinder Operator, Deburrer, Die Maintenance Technician, Finisher, Grinder, Grinder Operator, Grinding Machine Operator, Process Equipment Operator

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is projected to Decline 5 percent from 2020 to 2030

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • -5.5%

    Change

    Ranks #53 in job growth rate
    620

    Job Openings

    Ranks #2 in net job growth

Best colleges for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Search

Colleges with the most graduates that become Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Search

Looking for colleges that offer a specific major? Use the College Match Tool to find your best-matched schools and discover your estimated Net Price!

Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)
  • Master's degree  (<1%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (4%)
  • Associate's degree  (8%)
  • Some college, no degree  (19%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (48%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (20%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Select Type of Degree:

★ There are no majors that have graduates with this degree type

People in this career often have these skills:

  • 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.
  • Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • 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.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • 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.
  • Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • 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.
  • 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.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
  • Lay out parts to prepare for assembly.
  • Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
  • Operate grinding equipment.
  • Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
  • Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
  • Select production equipment according to product specifications.
  • Calculate dimensions of workpieces, products, or equipment.
  • Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
  • Reshape metal workpieces to established specifications.
  • Operate cutting equipment.
  • Adjust equipment controls to regulate coolant flow.
  • Apply lubricants or coolants to workpieces.
  • Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
  • Lift materials or workpieces using cranes or other lifting equipment.
  • Replace worn equipment components.
  • Repair production equipment or tools.
  • Notify others of equipment repair or maintenance needs.
  • Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
  • Feed materials or products into or through equipment.
  • Set equipment guides, stops, spacers, or other fixtures.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.1 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

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.

College Raptor Loading Screen College Raptor Loading Screen