AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 51-4023.00

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

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: AI can already handle 3 of 19 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 19 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, from most to least exposed. 3 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Disassemble sizing mills removed from rolling lines, and sort and store parts. 90 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Calculate draft space and roll speed for each mill stand to plan rolling sequences and specified dimensions and tempers. 85 Estimated Frontier 4.1
Examine, inspect, and measure raw materials and finished products to verify conformance to specifications. 80 Estimated Standard 4.4
Direct and train other workers to change rolls, operate mill equipment, remove coils and cobbles, and band and load material. 35 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Read rolling orders, blueprints, and mill schedules to determine setup specifications, work sequences, product dimensions, and installation procedures. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Install equipment such as guides, guards, gears, cooling equipment, and rolls, using hand tools. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Monitor machine cycles and mill operation to detect jamming and to ensure that products conform to specifications. 15 Estimated No tier 4.6
Adjust and correct machine set-ups to reduce thicknesses, reshape products, and eliminate product defects. 15 Estimated No tier 4.6
Start operation of rolling and milling machines to flatten, temper, form, and reduce sheet metal sections and to produce steel strips. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Thread or feed sheets or rods through rolling mechanisms, or start and control mechanisms that automatically feed steel into rollers. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Manipulate controls and observe dial indicators to monitor, adjust, and regulate speeds of machine mechanisms. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Set distance points between rolls, guides, meters, and stops, according to specifications. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Select rolls, dies, roll stands, and chucks from data charts to form specified contours and to fabricate products. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Position, align, and secure arbors, spindles, coils, mandrels, dies, and slitting knives. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Fill oil cups, adjust valves, and observe gauges to control flow of metal coolants and lubricants onto workpieces. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Signal and assist other workers to remove and position equipment, fill hoppers, and feed materials into machines. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Activate shears and grinders to trim workpieces. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Record mill production on schedule sheets. 15 Estimated No tier 3.8
Remove scratches and polish roll surfaces, using polishing stones and electric buffers. 15 Estimated No tier 3.8

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 19 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 19 of 19. 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 26% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 31% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 69% 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
25,250
Median annual wage
$50,140
Middle half of earners
$44,020 to $61,880
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
-8.3%

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 Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and AI

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

AI already handles 3 of the 19 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 27 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. BLS projects employment to change by -8.3% from 2024 to 2034.

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

27 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 19 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 19 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

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

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Disassemble sizing mills removed from rolling lines, and sort and store parts; Calculate draft space and roll speed for each mill stand to plan rolling sequences and specified dimensions and tempers; Examine, inspect, and measure raw materials and finished products to verify conformance to specifications. They are the tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 26% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 69% 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 Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, and what do they earn?

25,250 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $50,140 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of -8.3% 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: Rolling Machine 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/rolling-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders-metal-and-plastic

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