Often handed to AI
Task areas most often handled directively in observed AI conversations — candidates to delegate with light review.
- Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales. · 0.3%
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Occupation · SOC 51-4193.00
Set up, operate, or tend plating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Typically, the product being coated is immersed in molten metal or an electrolytic solution.
Also called: Anodizer · Chrome Plater · Electro Plater · Plater · Anodizing Line Operator · Coater Associate · Coater Operator · Galvanizer · Line Operator · Machine Operator · Alodize Machine Operator · Anode Machine Operator
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-51-4193-00/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.
Keep a human in the loop
Task areas where a human was still judged necessary in a large share of observed conversations — not a safety ruling, an observed-need signal.
- Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales. · 96.7% need a human
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 →Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- Declining employment outlook (-13.6% by 2034)
- 2,500 openings/yr
- Low AI exposure
- Median pay $41,600/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- 2013 flagged this for computerization (82nd); today's AI task-overlap is comparatively low (18th)
18th-percentile task overlap — yet about 2,500 openings a year (-13.6% 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 | 21st | -0.9 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low | 19th | 0.1 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low | 23rd | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.1), 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 · 82nd 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 · -13.6% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 2,500 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 31,700 → 27,400 |
“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.
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at the 31st 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.
19% mean task exposure (2025)
31st percentile of 427 placed occupations
−1 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Metal Finishing, Plating and Coating Machine Operators · 8122 | 20% | 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.
Working with AI in this job
How people actually apply AI to this occupation's tasks, from Claude.ai (Free and Pro) conversations in the Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15. This is one AI assistant's consumer sample — not all AI, not the whole workforce. Autonomy and the collaboration mix are model-rated estimates; figures below the sample floor are hidden.
| Most common way people use AI here | Directive · AI does it; you give the instruction |
| Typical AI autonomy | 2.0 / 5 · higher = AI acts more independently |
What people delegate to AI
The role's most common tasks in AI conversations, each tagged with how people work with the AI on it. “Usage” is the share of observed conversations, not of the job.
| Task | How | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales. | Directive | 0.3% |
Where a human is still needed
Tasks where the model most often judged that a person remained necessary — a useful read on the current boundary, not a guarantee.
| Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales. | 96.7% |
What people most often hand AI here
Example prompts phrased from the tasks people most often delegate to AI in this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index). Each shows the underlying measured task and its share of observed AI use. They are suggested phrasings of real tasks — starting points, not endorsed instructions.
-
Help me measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales.From: Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales. · 0.3% of measured AI use · directive
Tasks
All 38 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times. Core · importance 4.7
- Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes. Core · importance 4.5
- Inspect coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage. Core · importance 4.5
- Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Core · importance 4.4
- Maintain production records. Core · importance 4.4
- Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur. Core · importance 4.4
- Remove objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observe objects to verify conformance to specifications. Core · importance 4.4
- Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines. Core · importance 4.2
- Determine sizes and compositions of objects to be plated, and amounts of electrical current and time required. Supplemental · importance 4.2
- Test machinery to ensure that it is operating properly. Supplemental · importance 4.2
- Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales. Supplemental · importance 4.2
- Measure, mark, and mask areas to be excluded from plating. Supplemental · importance 4.2
- Examine completed objects to determine thicknesses of metal deposits, or measure thicknesses by using instruments such as micrometers. Core · importance 4.1
- Immerse objects to be coated or plated into cleaning solutions, or spray objects with conductive solutions to prepare them for plating. Supplemental · importance 4.1
- Read production schedules to determine setups of equipment and machines. Supplemental · importance 4.1
- Suspend objects, such as parts or molds from cathode rods, or negative terminals, and immerse objects in plating solutions. Supplemental · importance 4.1
- Suspend sticks or pieces of plating metal from anodes, or positive terminals, and immerse metal in plating solutions. Supplemental · importance 4.1
- Adjust controls to set temperatures of coating substances and speeds of machines and equipment. Supplemental · importance 4.0
- Rinse coated objects in cleansing liquids and dry them with cloths, centrifugal driers, or by tumbling in sawdust-filled barrels. Core · importance 4.0
- Monitor and measure thicknesses of electroplating on component parts to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers. Supplemental · importance 4.0
- Operate hoists to place workpieces onto machine feed carriages or spindles. Supplemental · importance 3.9
- Position and feed materials into processing machines, by hand or by using automated equipment. Supplemental · importance 3.9
- Position objects to be plated in frames, or suspend them from positive or negative terminals of power supplies. Supplemental · importance 3.9
- Operate sandblasting equipment to roughen and clean surfaces of workpieces. Supplemental · importance 3.8
- Clean and maintain equipment, using water hoses and scrapers. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Clean workpieces, using wire brushes. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Mix and test solutions, and turn valves to fill tanks with solutions. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Replace worn parts and adjust equipment components, using hand tools. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Place plated or coated materials on racks and transfer them to ovens to dry for specified periods of time. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Measure and set stops, rolls, brushes, and guides on automatic feeders and conveying equipment or coating machines, using micrometers, rules, and hand tools. Supplemental · importance 3.5
- Position containers to receive parts, and load or unload materials in containers, using dollies or handtrucks. Supplemental · importance 3.5
- Perform equipment maintenance, such as cleaning tanks and lubricating moving parts of conveyors. Supplemental · importance 3.4
- Preheat workpieces in ovens. Supplemental · importance 2.9
- Attach nozzles, position guns, connect hoses, and thread wire to set up metal-spraying machines. Supplemental
- Cut metal or other materials, using shears or band saws. Supplemental
- Install gears and holding devices on conveyor equipment. Supplemental
- Plate small objects, such as nuts or bolts, using motor-driven barrels. Supplemental
- Spray coating in specified patterns according to instructions. Supplemental
Work activities
- Inspect finishes of workpieces or finished products.
- Immerse objects or workpieces in cleaning or coating solutions.
- Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.
- Operate painting or coating equipment.
- Feed materials or products into or through equipment.
- Conduct test runs of production equipment.
- Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
- Record operational or production data.
- Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
- Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
- Load materials into production equipment.
- Position containers to receive materials or workpieces.
- Clean production equipment.
- Maintain production or processing equipment.
- Lubricate production equipment.
- Determine metal or plastic production methods.
- Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
- Adjust flow of electricity to tools or production equipment.
- Clean workpieces or finished products.
- Measure ingredients or substances to be used in production processes.
- Measure materials to mark reference points, cutting lines, or other indicators.
- Mix substances to create chemical solutions.
- Adjust equipment controls to regulate flow of production materials or products.
- Load items into ovens or furnaces.
- Study blueprints or other instructions to determine equipment setup requirements.
- Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
- Set equipment guides, stops, spacers, or other fixtures.
- Heat material or workpieces to prepare for or complete production.
- Replace worn equipment components.
- Trim excess material from workpieces.
- Operate grinding equipment.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Knowledge
| Production and Processing | 4.2 | |
| Mathematics | 3.5 | |
| Chemistry | 3.4 | |
| English Language | 3.4 | |
| Mechanical | 3.3 | |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.3 | |
| Education and Training | 3.2 | |
| Law and Government | 3.1 | |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.1 | |
| Design | 3.1 | |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.0 | |
| Transportation | 3.0 |
Abilities
| Control Precision | 3.4 | |
| Near Vision | 3.4 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.3 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.3 | |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.3 | |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.3 | |
| Oral Expression | 3.1 | |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.1 | |
| Speech Clarity | 3.1 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.0 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.0 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.0 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.0 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.0 | |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.0 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.0 | |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.0 | |
| Static Strength | 3.0 |
Transferable skills
| Operations Monitoring | 3.3 | |
| Operation and Control | 3.1 | |
| Coordination | 3.0 | |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 | |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Essential skills
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 | |
| Active Listening | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | |
| Speaking | 3.0 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
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 Outlook | Electronic mail software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | Hot technology |
| Hazardous materials management HMS software | Compliance software | |
| Oracle Advanced Procurement | Procurement 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.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| Less than a High School Diploma | 49.2% | |
| High School Diploma | 46.8% | |
| Bachelor's Degree | 3.4% | |
| Some College Courses | 0.6% |
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 | 4.1 | |
| Investigative | 2.2 | |
| Artistic | 1.4 |
Interest areas
Work styles
| Dependability | 3.0 | |
| Attention to Detail | 2.2 | |
| Cautiousness | 2.1 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $31,940 |
| 25th percentile | $36,620 |
| Median (50th) | $41,600 |
| 75th percentile | $48,990 |
| 90th percentile | $58,320 |
| People employed | 31,510 |
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 | 30,440 | $41,600 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 500 | $35,770 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 500 | $35,770 |
| Machine Shops · National industry | 190 | $46,950 |
| Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing · National industry | 40 | $38,190 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | — | $38,800 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | — | $57,300 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing · Sector | 11.67× | 30,440 |
| Machine Shops · National industry | 3.58× | 190 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 0.92× | 500 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 0.27× | 500 |
Related occupations
Part of the Advanced Manufacturing career cluster.
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-9124.00 Compare →
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4191.00 Compare →
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-4122.00 Compare →
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4072.00 Compare →
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic · 51-9195.00 Compare →
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers · 51-6091.00 Compare →
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders · 51-9191.00 Compare →
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-9041.00 Compare →
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-9012.00 Compare →
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders · 51-6061.00 Compare →
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand · 51-9022.00 Compare →
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers · 51-9123.00 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 Plating Machine 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.
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Compare →
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Compare →
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Compare →
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Compare →
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic 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
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 31st percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic show 18th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 2,500 annual U.S. openings
- Plating Machine 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 2,500 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 (-13.6%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $41,600, across about 31,510 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic show 18th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 2,500 annual U.S. openings • Plating Machine 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 2,500 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 (-13.6%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $41,600, across about 31,510 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4193-00 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
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- 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. "Plating Machine 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; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); 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-51-4193-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4193-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-51-4193-00,
title = {Plating Machine 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; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); 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-51-4193-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.