How to become a forging machine setter, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..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.
What forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do
- Start machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conform to specifications.
- Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.
- Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
- Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.
- Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, piercing, or other operations to taper, shape, or form metal.
- Trim and compress finished forgings to specified tolerances.
Skills that matter most
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Active Learning
Is forging machine setter, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a good career?
On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 4% below the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- Oregon $69,210
- Michigan $61,620
- Nebraska $60,460
- Wisconsin $60,310
- California $59,250
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.