About This Career

Analyzes specifications, lays out metal stock, sets up and operates machine tools, and fits and assembles parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.

This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Production pathway.

A person in this career:

• Verifies dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.
• Sets up and operates conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bore, grind, or otherwise shape parts to prescribed dimensions and finishes.
• Visualizes and computes dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications.
• Studies blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies.
• Fits and assembles parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders.
• Inspects finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects.
• Selects metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance.
• Lifts, positions, and secures machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates.
• Files, grinds, shims, and adjusts different parts to properly fit them together.
• Smooths and polishes flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Exposed to hazardous equipment such as saws, machinery, or vehicular traffic more than once a month
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
• Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Overtime work
• Weekend work