Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Occupation · SOC 51-4033.00
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 called: Centerless Grinder Operator · Grinder · Grinder Operator · Grinding Machine Operator · Cell Operator · Deburrer · Die Maintenance Technician · Finisher · Process Equipment Operator · Abrasive Worker · Air Grinder · Aluminum Polisher
Job family: Production Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-51-4033-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- Declining employment outlook (-12.0% by 2034)
- 5,500 openings/yr
- Low AI exposure
- Median pay $45,190/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- 2013 flagged this for computerization (89th); today's AI task-overlap is comparatively low (18th)
18th-percentile task overlap — yet about 5,500 openings a year (-12% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Low | 18th | -1.0 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low | 14th | 0.1 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low | 32nd | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.1), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.1). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Mixed signals. Today's AI/LLM studies show relatively low exposure for this job, but the older (2013) Frey–Osborne work rated it higher for computerization and robotics. Different eras, different technologies — the AI measures above reflect the current state.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.9 · 89th percentile among occupations · High
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | Declining · -12.0% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 5,500 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 70,100 → 61,700 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international 2 occupations below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at the 26th percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure eased from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
18% mean task exposure (2025)
26th percentile of 427 placed occupations
−1 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Metal Working Machine Tool Setters and Operators · 7223 | 18% | Not exposed |
| Plastic Products Machine Operators · 8142 | 18% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 18 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Inspect or measure finished workpieces to determine conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as gauges or micrometers. Core · importance 4.6
- Measure workpieces and lay out work, using precision measuring devices. Core · importance 4.4
- Observe machine operations to detect any problems, making necessary adjustments to correct problems. Core · importance 4.4
- Move machine controls to index workpieces, and to adjust machines for pre-selected operational settings. Core · importance 4.4
- Study blueprints, work orders, or machining instructions to determine product specifications, tool requirements, and operational sequences. Core · importance 4.4
- Select machine tooling to be used, using knowledge of machine and production requirements. Core · importance 4.3
- Compute machine indexings and settings for specified dimensions and base reference points. Supplemental · importance 4.3
- Mount and position tools in machine chucks, spindles, or other tool holding devices, using hand tools. Core · importance 4.3
- Activate machine start-up switches to grind, lap, hone, debar, shear, or cut workpieces, according to specifications. Core · importance 4.2
- Set and adjust machine controls according to product specifications, using knowledge of machine operation. Core · importance 4.2
- 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 workpieces. Core · importance 4.2
- Brush or spray lubricating compounds on workpieces, or turn valve handles and direct flow of coolant against tools and workpieces. Core · importance 3.9
- Lift and position workpieces, manually or with hoists, and secure them in hoppers or on machine tables, faceplates, or chucks, using clamps. Core · importance 3.9
- Repair or replace machine parts, using hand tools, or notify engineering personnel when corrective action is required. Core · importance 3.8
- Maintain stocks of machine parts and machining tools. Supplemental · importance 3.8
- Thread and hand-feed materials through machine cutters or abraders. Supplemental · importance 3.5
- Adjust air cylinders and setting stops to set traverse lengths and feed arm strokes. Supplemental · importance 3.4
- Slide spacers between buffs on spindles to set spacing. Supplemental · importance 2.8
Work activities
- Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
- Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
- Lift materials or workpieces using cranes or other lifting equipment.
- Operate grinding equipment.
- Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
- Lay out parts to prepare for assembly.
- Select production equipment according to product specifications.
- Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
- Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
- 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.
- Calculate dimensions of workpieces, products, or equipment.
- Set equipment guides, stops, spacers, or other fixtures.
- Feed materials or products into or through 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.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Transferable skills
| Operations Monitoring | 4.0 | |
| Operation and Control | 4.0 | |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.5 | |
| Troubleshooting | 3.0 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | |
| Coordination | 2.9 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
Abilities
| Control Precision | 4.0 | |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.8 | |
| Near Vision | 3.8 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.6 | |
| Reaction Time | 3.6 | |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.5 | |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.5 | |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.3 | |
| Rate Control | 3.3 | |
| Written Comprehension | 3.1 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.1 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.1 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.1 | |
| Visualization | 3.1 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.1 | |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.1 | |
| Static Strength | 3.1 | |
| Trunk Strength | 3.1 | |
| Far Vision | 3.1 | |
| Depth Perception | 3.1 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.0 | |
| Oral Expression | 3.0 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.0 | |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 3.0 | |
| Auditory Attention | 3.0 | |
| Category Flexibility | 2.9 |
Knowledge
| Production and Processing | 3.5 | |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
Essential skills
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | |
| Speaking | 3.0 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 | |
| Active Listening | 2.9 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
| Example | Category | |
|---|---|---|
| Autodesk AutoCAD | Computer aided design CAD software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Windows | Operating system software | Hot technology |
| SAP software | Enterprise resource planning ERP software | Hot technology |
| Manufacturing reporting system | Inventory management software | |
| Mazak Mazatrol SMART CNC | Industrial control software |
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Preparation level
- SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Precision Production . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| High School Diploma | 80.1% | |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 14.3% | |
| Some College Courses | 4.2% | |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 1.4% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 7.0 | |
| Conventional | 3.9 | |
| Investigative | 2.1 | |
| Artistic | 1.2 |
Interest areas
Work styles
| Attention to Detail | 2.6 | |
| Dependability | 2.1 | |
| Cautiousness | 2.0 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $34,980 |
| 25th percentile | $38,420 |
| Median (50th) | $45,190 |
| 75th percentile | $51,380 |
| 90th percentile | $61,550 |
| People employed | 70,110 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing · Sector | 67,380 | $45,470 |
| Machine Shops · National industry | 6,200 | $44,050 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 1,540 | $37,980 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 1,440 | $37,990 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 690 | $38,030 |
| Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing · National industry | 80 | $39,280 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 80 | $47,310 |
| Construction · Sector | 60 | $41,520 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 60 | $47,770 |
| Engineering Services · National industry | 60 | $47,770 |
| Retail Trade · Sector | 40 | $54,560 |
| Transportation and Warehousing · Sector | 40 | $51,350 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Shops · National industry | 52.49× | 6,200 |
| Manufacturing · Sector | 11.61× | 67,380 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 1.19× | 1,440 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 0.37× | 1,540 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 0.25× | 690 |
Related occupations
Part of the Advanced Manufacturing career cluster.
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners · 51-4194.00 Compare →
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand · 51-9022.00 Compare →
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing · 51-7042.00 Compare →
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4035.00 Compare →
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-9032.00 Compare →
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4034.00 Compare →
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4081.00 Compare →
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4031.00 Compare →
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-9021.00 Compare →
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4023.00 Compare →
- Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-6062.00 Compare →
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers · 53-7063.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners Compare →
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Compare →
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing Compare →
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Compare →
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Compare →
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Precision Production · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 26th percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic show 18th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 5,500 annual U.S. openings
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic rank in the 18th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 5,500 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be declining (-12%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $45,190, across about 70,110 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic show 18th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 5,500 annual U.S. openings • Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic rank in the 18th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 5,500 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be declining (-12%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $45,190, across about 70,110 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4033-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
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.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4033-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4033-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-51-4033-00,
title = {Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4033-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.