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Position materials or components for assembly

Work activity · O*NET

Position materials or components for assembly is an intermediate work activity in the O*NET database — a concrete task that recurs across many occupations , grouped under Handling and Moving Objects. 85 occupations report doing it as part of their work.

What it involves

The most common detailed activities O*NET records under this category, ranked by how many occupation tasks map to each.

  • Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references
  • Align parts or workpieces to ensure proper assembly
  • Mark reference points on construction materials
  • Align equipment or machinery
  • Position structural components
  • Align masonry materials
  • Lay out work according to specifications
  • Lay out parts to prepare for assembly

How AI is applied to this activity

Microsoft's "Working with AI" study mapped real Bing Copilot conversations to O*NET work activities. The figures below are their measurements for this activity — they describe how AI is used today in one assistant's data, not a forecast that the activity will be automated.

AI completes it successfully 92.6% When Copilot attempts this activity, how often it finishes the task
Scope AI handles 13.0% How much of the activity AI carries within a conversation
Positive user feedback 64.2% Share of interactions users rated positively
How often AI is applied here 36th pct Percentile across all measured activities by how often AI performs them

Source: Microsoft "Working with AI" (working-with-ai). A high completion rate means AI can assist the activity in isolation — it does not mean an occupation that performs it is being automated, since every job blends many activities.

Detailed work activities

The more granular units of work O*NET groups under this activity, ordered by how many occupations perform them.

Occupations that perform this activity

Ranked by how many of the occupation's tasks map to this activity.

Occupation Tasks
Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers 5
Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic 5
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters 5
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 4
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers 3
Boilermakers 3
Fence Erectors 3
Helpers--Carpenters 3
Millwrights 3
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers 3
Sewing Machine Operators 3
Stonemasons 3
Structural Iron and Steel Workers 3
Tile and Stone Setters 3
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 3
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians 2
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics 2
Brickmasons and Blockmasons 2
Construction Laborers 2
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 2
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers 2
Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers 2
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers 2
Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers 2
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 2
Model Makers, Metal and Plastic 2
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians 2
Segmental Pavers 2
Sheet Metal Workers 2
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers 2
Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing 2
Terrazzo Workers and Finishers 2
Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters 2
Tire Builders 2
Upholsterers 2
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders 1
Avionics Technicians 1
Bicycle Repairers 1
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists 1
Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers 1

Showing 40 of 85 occupations.

Exposure quadrant: AI task-overlap percentile vs Median pay AI task-overlap (horizontal) versus median pay (vertical), each as a percentile across all scored occupations, for 38 occupations in occupations that perform Position materials or components for assembly.. Overlap measures shared tasks with AI, not automation. Lower overlap · higher pay Higher overlap · higher pay Higher overlap · lower pay Lower overlap · lower pay Stonemasons Helpers--Carpenters Structural Iron and Steel Workers Construction Laborers Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers Boilermakers Millwrights Brickmasons and Blockmasons Sewing Machine Operators Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Engine and Other Machine Assemblers Bicycle Repairers Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers AI task-overlap percentile → ↑ Median pay
Occupations that perform Position materials or components for assembly., by AI task-overlap and median pay

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

Cite this page
Plain

Singulariki. "Position materials or components for assembly." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/activities/position-materials-or-components-for-assembly

APA

Singulariki. (2026). Position materials or components for assembly. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/activities/position-materials-or-components-for-assembly

BibTeX 
@misc{singulariki-position-materials-or-components-for-assembly,
  title  = {Position materials or components for assembly},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/activities/position-materials-or-components-for-assembly}
}

Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.