AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 51-4081.00

Will AI replace Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: AI does not yet handle any of the role's 21 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 21 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, from most to least exposed. None reaches 60, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Read blueprints or job orders to determine product specifications and tooling instructions and to plan operational sequences. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Inspect workpieces for defects, and measure workpieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measuring instruments. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Select, install, and adjust alignment of drills, cutters, dies, guides, and holding devices, using templates, measuring instruments, and hand tools. 20 Estimated Standard 4.3
Make minor electrical and mechanical repairs and adjustments to machines and notify supervisors when major service is required. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.9
Position, adjust, and secure stock material or workpieces against stops, on arbors, or in chucks, fixtures, or automatic feeding mechanisms, manually or using hoists. 15 Estimated No tier 4.4
Observe machine operation to detect workpiece defects or machine malfunctions, adjusting machines as necessary. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, cutters, shears, borers, millers, grinders, presses, drills, or auxiliary machines, to make metallic and plastic workpieces. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Measure and mark reference points and cutting lines on workpieces, using traced templates, compasses, and rules. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Change worn machine accessories, such as cutting tools or brushes, using hand tools. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Set machine stops or guides to specified lengths as indicated by scales, rules, or templates. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Select the proper coolants and lubricants and start their flow. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Perform minor machine maintenance, such as oiling or cleaning machines, dies, or workpieces, or adding coolant to machine reservoirs. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Remove burrs, sharp edges, rust, or scale from workpieces, using files, hand grinders, wire brushes, or power tools. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Compute data, such as gear dimensions or machine settings, applying knowledge of shop mathematics. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Start machines and turn handwheels or valves to engage feeding, cooling, and lubricating mechanisms. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Move controls or mount gears, cams, or templates in machines to set feed rates and cutting speeds, depths, and angles. 15 Estimated No tier 3.8
Instruct other workers in machine set-up and operation. 15 Estimated No tier 3.7
Write programs for computer numerical control (CNC) machines to cut metal and plastic materials. 15 Estimated No tier 3.7
Record operational data, such as pressure readings, lengths of strokes, feed rates, or speeds. 15 Estimated No tier 3.6
Align layout marks with dies or blades. 15 Estimated No tier 3.5
Extract or lift jammed pieces from machines, using fingers, wire hooks, or lift bars. 8 Estimated No tier 3.5

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 21 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 21 of 21. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 21% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 21% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 80% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
124,590
Median annual wage
$47,180
Middle half of earners
$39,420 to $57,800
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
-0.5%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and AI

Will AI replace Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?

Not on current evidence. None of the 21 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation reaches a task exposure of 60, the level at which JobRoute counts a task as handled by AI, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 17 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears.

What is the AI exposure of Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?

17 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 21 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 21 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic tasks can AI already do?

None reaches 60 yet. The most exposed task is: Read blueprints or job orders to determine product specifications and tooling instructions and to plan operational sequences, at 50 out of 100.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 21% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 80% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, and what do they earn?

124,590 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $47,180 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of -0.5% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/multiple-machine-tool-setters-operators-and-tenders-metal-and-plastic

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