Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders

Judgment two: whether fixturing, alignment, and the zero reference point are in place — positioning and clamping the workpiece and using a dial indicator or layout to establish the zero reference point and reference lines rather than clamping casually and machining.

Judgment three: whether cutting parameters and tools are selected on a documented basis — selecting and setting cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, and tools according to the material and requirements and installing them properly rather than adjusting parameters by feel.

Judgment four: whether the machining process and cooling are controlled — operating the machine to engage the automatic feed per procedure, using coolant or cutting oil, and observing drilling or boring machine operation to find problems rather than not looking and not asking.

Judgment five: whether dimensions and tolerances are checked with measuring tools — using calipers and micrometers or gauges to verify that machined parts meet specification and handling out-of-tolerance as required rather than judging acceptance by feel.

Judgment six: whether tool changing, sharpening, maintenance, and anomalies are held — replacing and sharpening worn tools and performing equipment and tooling maintenance and reporting and handing over per the system when dimensional out-of-tolerance, equipment anomalies, or personal injury occur, rather than concealing or delaying.

U.S. respondent feedback on 57 work context items: common protective equipment every day 93%, accuracy extremely important 70% / very important 30%; typical week more than 40 hours 79% / 40 hours 21%, regular 80% / irregular 20%; face-to-face every day 52% / weekly but not every day 41%, continuous use of hands 57% / more than half 33%, deadlines every day 51% / weekly but not every day 32% / monthly but not weekly 15%, teamwork extremely important 56% / very important 23%. Noise every day 56% / weekly but not every day 31%, contaminants every day 61%, hazardous equipment every day 54% / weekly but not every day 26%; standing continuously 25% / more than half 50%. Pace determined by equipment speed extremely important 52%, error extremely serious 29% / very serious 27% / serious 26%. Email every day 35% / never 42%, telephone every day 21% / never 44%, continuous contact 51%, decision freedom very large 40% / some 40%. Extreme heat or extreme cold weekly but not every day 29%; whole-body vibration never 85%. Moderate automation 43%, high 14%, slight 24%, none 15% are conventional automation feedback, not a GenAI adoption rate or accident probability.

The work of drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders can be divided into three connected but independent work surfaces. The first is drawing reading and preparation: study the machining instructions and work orders and drawings to determine dimensions, tolerances, surfaces, operations, fixturing, and tool requirements, check the workpiece material and blank, establish a zero reference point and lay out reference lines and machining positions on the workpiece, select and set cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, and tools according to the material and requirements, and install the tools into the spindle. The second is fixturing and machining: position and secure the workpiece on the worktable with bolts and fixtures and clamps and shims, operate the machine controller to lower the tool and engage the automatic feed, operate single-spindle or multi-spindle drilling machines for drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking, turn valves to direct coolant or cutting oil to the cutting zone, use a dial indicator mounted on the spindle to verify that the workpiece reference line is parallel to the worktable's axis of rotation, and when necessary operate tracing attachments to reproduce contours from a template or model. The third is inspection and maintenance and records: use calipers and micrometers or fixed or telescoping gauges to verify that machined parts meet specification, replace and sharpen worn tools, do small assemblies, lift and move workpieces, maintain machine tools and tooling, and record machining, measurement, tool change, and anomaly data and report and hand over as required. All three work surfaces proceed within the drawings, process, tolerances, measuring tools, and machine tool safety guard requirements.

Drawing reading and preparation

Study the machining instructions and work orders and drawings to determine dimensions, tolerances, operations, fixturing, and tool requirements → check the workpiece material and blank → establish a zero reference point and lay out lines → select and set cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, and tools according to the material and requirements → install the tools into the spindle

Executable machining, fixturing, and tool key points and operation checklist, zero reference point and layout and alignment records, cutting parameter and tool selection and installation records

Fixturing and machining

Position and secure the workpiece with fixtures and clamps and shims → operate the machine to lower the tool and engage the automatic feed → operate single-spindle or multi-spindle drilling machines to complete drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking → direct coolant or cutting oil → use a dial indicator to verify that the reference line is parallel to the axis of rotation

Records of drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking completed by operation, cooling and observation and alignment records, fixturing and alignment and process adjustment records

Inspection and maintenance and records

Verify dimensions and tolerances with measuring tools and handle out-of-tolerance → replace and sharpen worn tools and do small assemblies → maintain machine tools and tooling → record machining, measurement, tool change, and anomaly data and report and hand over as required

Where are the boundaries between drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders and lathe operators, metal milling and planing machine tool operators, grinding machine operators, extruding, drawing, forging, and rolling machine setters and operators, industrial machinery mechanics, and earth drillers?

Drilling and boring 51-4032 is distinguished from turning 51-4034, milling and planing 51-4035, grinding 51-4033, and forging 51-4022 mainly by process; oil and gas services 47-5013 is not earth drilling, and the latter 47-5023 does not include oil and gas. Actual overlapping skills must be verified against equipment and operations and cannot be mutually recognized directly from similar names.

Core purpose

Turn drawings, tolerances, and process requirements into drilling and boring results that meet specification: drawings read clearly, fixturing and alignment in place, parameters and tools selected on a documented basis, machining and cooling controlled, and dimensions and tolerances within limits.

Core purposes of adjacent positions: turning ensures rotating surface machining; milling and planing ensure flat surface, groove, and step machining; grinding ensures precision and surface quality; forming equipment ensures extrusion, drawing, forging, and rolling forming; equipment repair ensures equipment availability; drilling ensures surface and downhole hole making.

Main objects and basis

The objects are metal or plastic workpieces and blanks and semi-finished products, drilling machines and boring machines and spindles and cutting tools and fixtures and tooling and measuring tools, parameters such as cutting speed and feed and depth of cut and cooling method, and dimensional measurement, self-inspection, and equipment and tool inspection records; the basis is the drawings, work orders, process, tolerances, measuring tool readings, and machine tool safety guard requirements.

Objects and basis of adjacent positions: rotating parts and chucks and tool posts (turning process); flat plates and grooves and milling cutters and planing tools (milling and planing process); grinding wheels and the grinding process; molds and forming equipment and pressure and temperature parameters (forming process); equipment and spare parts and maintenance manuals (maintenance procedures); drilling tools and boreholes and geological conditions (drilling procedures).

Core process

Drawing reading and preparation → fixturing and alignment → drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking with cooling → verification with measuring tools and handling of out-of-tolerance → tool changing and sharpening and maintenance and records and anomaly reporting.

Processes of adjacent positions: fixturing and turning and measurement (lathe operators); fixturing and milling and planing and measurement (milling and planing); fixturing and grinding and measurement (grinding machine operators); heating or extruding or drawing or forging and forming (forming equipment); inspection and disassembly and replacement and adjustment (repair); positioning and drilling and coring and wall protection (drilling).

Main outputs

Records of drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking completed by operation, fixturing and alignment and parameter and tool records, dimensional measurement and self-inspection records, tool change and sharpening and equipment and tooling maintenance records, and anomaly reporting and handover records.

Outputs of adjacent positions: turned parts and measurement records; milled and planed parts and measurement records; ground parts and surface quality records; formed parts and pressure and temperature records; repair and adjustment and operation records; drilled holes and core samples and geological records.

Responsible parties

This occupation bears execution responsibility for setting up and operating or tending drilling and boring machine tools according to drawings and process to complete machining, self-inspection, and maintenance; process design, quality judgment, and equipment repair responsibilities are borne by the process, inspection, and equipment departments according to systems and authorization.

Responsibilities of adjacent positions: turning and milling and planing and grinding are borne by the respective machine tool operators and their organizations; forming is borne by forming equipment operators and their organizations; equipment repair is borne by mechanics and the equipment department; drilling is borne by the drilling operator and its organization.

Collaboration and supervision

Collaborate with the team leader and process, inspection, equipment repair, and upstream and downstream operations, and adjust priorities according to the operation cycle, delivery date, and batch; immediately report dimensional out-of-tolerance, equipment anomalies, personal injury, and matters beyond authorization.

Collaboration of adjacent positions: lathe operators and milling and planing and grinding interface with process and inspection; forming interfaces with molds and heat treatment and inspection; repair interfaces with production and spare parts; drilling interfaces with geology and well control and the project department.

Conclusion boundaries

Do not machine without reading drawings or from experience, do not omit alignment and clamping and self-inspection, do not use uncalibrated measuring tools to judge acceptance, do not change cutting parameters or tools at will beyond the process range, do not work with defective machine tools or missing safety guards, do not clean chips directly with your hands or operate beyond protective devices, do not conceal or delay reporting dimensional out-of-tolerance and equipment anomalies and personal injury, and do not issue inspection-pass or process or safety or compliance conclusions externally beyond authorization.

The boundaries of adjacent positions are determined by their respective process, equipment, qualification systems, and the regulations and standards of the relevant jurisdiction; similar job titles do not mean the duties are interchangeable.

In this job, which judgments are most prone to error, and how should they be verified?

Common errors cluster in four areas: first, starting the machine without reading the drawings, work orders, and process clearly, resulting in dimensions, tolerances, and operations not matching and rework; second, fixturing, alignment, and the zero reference point not being in place, resulting in offset hole positions and parallelism or perpendicularity not meeting requirements; third, improper selection of cutting parameters and tools or insufficient cooling, resulting in dimensional out-of-tolerance, unacceptable surface quality, and abnormal tool wear; fourth, uncalibrated measuring tools or omitted self-inspection and missing tool change and maintenance and anomaly reporting, resulting in batch out-of-tolerance, equipment failure, and untraceability. The verification method is that each item has a basis that can be looked back on: machining, fixturing, and tool key points and operation checklist, zero reference point and layout and alignment records, cutting parameter and tool selection and installation records, and dimensional measurement and self-inspection and tool change and maintenance and anomaly reporting records, rather than memory or verbal understanding.

Are the drawings, work orders, and process (dimensions, tolerances, surfaces, operations, fixturing, and tool requirements) checked item by item rather than machining from experience?

Are fixturing, alignment, and the zero reference point in place and confirmed with a dial indicator or layout rather than clamping casually and machining?

Are cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, and tools selected according to the material and requirements and installed properly rather than adjusting parameters by feel?

Are dimensions and tolerances verified with calibrated measuring tools and out-of-tolerance handled as required rather than judging acceptance by feel?

The National Occupational Standard for Boring Machine Operators (2023 edition), 6-18-01-05, promulgated and effective 2023-08-31 by Ren She Ting Fa [2023] No. 32, refers to operating boring machines to drill, enlarge, and bore holes and to machine end faces / other profile surfaces. 1.4 Level five/junior to level one/senior technician; 1.7 the ordinary education level is junior middle school graduation, which is not the threshold for all employers. 1.8.1 the training reference for each level is not less than 500/400/300/300/200 standard hours, not the general few weeks to several months. 1.9.1 for the junior level, having reached 16 and intending to engage in or engaging in the work; for the intermediate level, alternatives include 5 years of work, junior level +3 years, or a related graduation; the advanced level and technician level have additional multiple paths. 1.9.2 theoretical/skills assessment and, for technicians/senior technicians, a comprehensive review, with passing at 60 points or above in each. Here only PDF1—8 pages and clauses 1.1—1.9 were actually verified, without claiming to cover the full text on safety and process. It corresponds to boring machine operators and does not stand in for standards for all drilling machines/plastics or for turning, milling, and grinding. GB15760-2025 General Technical Specifications for Safety Guards of Metal Cutting Machine Tools, official metadata currently in force, published 2025-08-01 and implemented 2026-08-01. In practice only the metadata was obtained, not the standard's full-text scope of application, item-by-item guard/verification clauses, or replacement list; the name alone does not give all drilling and boring equipment a single operating procedure, and specifics must be verified against the full standard text and equipment documentation. Article 4 of the 2021 revision of the Work Safety Law covers all-staff responsibility / risk grading and the dual prevention of hidden dangers; Article 28 covers being trained and qualified before taking a post, with dispatch and internship management training listed separately; Article 36 covers equipment maintenance, inspection, and records and prohibits shutting down or damaging guards; Article 43 requires dedicated on-site safety management for lifting operations and similar; Articles 44/45 require the organization to inform workers of hazards and emergency response and to provide protective equipment meeting standards and supervise its use per the rules; Article 54 allows refusal of illegal commands or forced risk-taking; Article 55 allows stopping work or taking possible emergency measures and then evacuating in situations that directly endanger personal safety; Articles 57/59 require workers to follow procedures and protection and to report hidden dangers immediately to the on-site safety management personnel or responsible person. Articles 5—7 of the 2018 revision of the Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Law cover the employer responsibility system and the unit's hazard responsibility, the full responsibility of the principal person in charge, and participation in work injury insurance according to law. Stopping, handling, and restarting after general quality anomalies must be verified against the specific equipment/unit procedures, and this page grants no general recovery authority.

Are equipment and tooling maintenance and tool changing and sharpening completed and verifiable by shift, and do machining and measurement records agree with inspection data?

Record machining, measurement, tool change, and anomaly data and complete equipment and tooling maintenance according to drawings, process, and plant systems; records should agree with inspection and next-operation data to facilitate verification and handover; measuring tools should be calibrated per the system and used within the validity period.

When dimensional out-of-tolerance, equipment anomalies, personal injury, or instructions beyond the process occur, is it handled in the order of 'first safeguard personal and equipment safety and stop the affected work, record and report per the system, and involve the process, inspection, and equipment departments when necessary'?

Common inputs: machining instructions and work orders and drawings and process cards (dimensions, tolerances, surface requirements, operations, fixturing, and tool requirements), metal or plastic workpiece material and blank and heat treatment state, the model and condition of machine tools and spindles and cutting tools and fixtures and measuring tools and tooling, cutting speed and feed and depth of cut and cooling method parameters, the zero reference point and layout basis, and measuring tool calibration status and inspection and self-inspection requirements.

Core outputs: records of drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking completed by operation, fixturing and alignment and parameter and tool records, dimensional measurement and self-inspection records, tool change and sharpening and equipment and tooling maintenance records, and anomaly reporting and handover records.

Typical flow: drawing reading and preparation — fixturing and alignment — drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking with cooling — verification with measuring tools and handling of out-of-tolerance — tool changing and sharpening and maintenance and records and anomaly reporting.

Common collaborators: the team leader and process and inspection, equipment repair and spare parts, upstream and downstream operations and assembly, and materials and tooling management departments.

Common tools and objects: drilling machines and boring machines (including single-spindle and multi-spindle drilling machines) and spindles, drill bits and boring tools and reamers and milling cutters and countersinks and taps, fixtures and clamps and shims and bolts and tooling, calipers and micrometers and fixed or telescoping gauges and dial indicators, coolant and cutting oil and protective supplies and chip-clearing tools, and equipment, tool, measurement, and recording tools.

Responsibility boundaries: this occupation bears execution responsibility for setting up and operating or tending drilling and boring machine tools according to drawings and process to complete machining, self-inspection, and maintenance; no machining without reading drawings or from experience, no omitting alignment and clamping and self-inspection, no using uncalibrated measuring tools to judge acceptance, no changing cutting parameters or tools at will beyond the process range, no working with defective machine tools or missing safety guards, no cleaning chips directly with your hands or operating beyond protective devices, and no concealing or delaying reporting; anomalies are reported immediately.

Work environment

U.S. respondent feedback on 57 work context items: common protective equipment every day 93%, accuracy extremely important 70% / very important 30%; typical week more than 40 hours 79% / 40 hours 21%, regular 80% / irregular 20%; face-to-face every day 52% / weekly but not every day 41%, continuous use of hands 57% / more than half 33%, deadlines every day 51% / weekly but not every day 32% / monthly but not weekly 15%, teamwork extremely important 56% / very important 23%. Noise every day 56% / weekly but not every day 31%, contaminants every day 61%, hazardous equipment every day 54% / weekly but not every day 26%; standing continuously 25% / more than half 50%. Pace determined by equipment speed extremely important 52%, error extremely serious 29% / very serious 27% / serious 26%. Email every day 35% / never 42%, telephone every day 21% / never 44%, continuous contact 51%, decision freedom very large 40% / some 40%. Extreme heat or extreme cold weekly but not every day 29%; whole-body vibration never 85%. Moderate automation 43%, high 14%, slight 24%, none 15% are conventional automation feedback, not a GenAI adoption rate or accident probability.

A machining workshop and machine tool operating positions; including drilling machine and boring machine operating positions and the tooling and measuring tool area, in a work environment that liaises with process, inspection, and equipment repair.

Drilling machines and boring machines (including single-spindle and multi-spindle drilling machines) and spindles, drill bits and boring tools and reamers and milling cutters and countersinks, fixtures and clamps and shims and tooling, calipers and micrometers and gauges and dial indicators, coolant and cutting oil and protective supplies and chip-clearing tools, and equipment, tool, measurement, and recording tools.

Divided by workshop, operation, and shift: drawing reading and preparation, fixturing and machining, and inspection and maintenance; coordinated by the team leader or process engineer.

U.S. feedback shows regular 80% / irregular 20%, and a typical week of more than 40 hours 79% / 40 hours 21%; actual Chinese shift, quota, overtime, and peak season arrangements were not obtained.

Work closely with the team leader and process, inspection, equipment repair, and upstream and downstream operations, coordinating through face-to-face contact and work orders and process cards and inspection sheets.

Editorial quality verification suggestions: dimensional tolerances, measuring tool validity, fixturing and alignment, and tool and equipment condition can be verified against actual duties; first-article inspection, patrol inspection, sampling inspection, and reporting and recovery follow real enterprise procedures, and no uniform method was actually obtained. Statutory safety training and the right to emergency avoidance follow the safety law, and one does not need to wait for enterprise approval to lawfully avoid danger.

Quality looks at whether the drawings are read clearly, whether fixturing and alignment are in place, whether parameters and tools are selected on a documented basis, whether machining and cooling are controlled, and whether dimensions, tolerances, records, and handover are verifiable.

O*NET structured fields

U.S. 51-4032.00 covers setting up, operating, or tending drilling and boring machine tools for metal and plastic. Its 17 tasks are 16 Core and 1 Supplemental: checking dimensions and tolerances with gauges 96, reading instructions and work orders and drawings 93, automatic feed 89, aligning with a dial indicator 87, zeroing the reference point 87, replacing worn tools 87, selecting speed, feed, depth of cut, and tools 86, fixturing 85, observing operation 83, lifting/directing lifting 81, cooling valves 79, installing tools 79, small assemblies 73 (such as fastening nuts, bolts, and screws), single and multi-spindle drilling machines 73, laying out 73, sharpening on a grinding wheel 67. Tracing attachment contouring 45 is Supplemental and is not core for everyone. The position itself includes dimensional verification and small assemblies; mechanical maintenance is a separately listed general activity, and a 73-point assembly task cannot be treated as a maintenance task; major design/maintenance and signing authority must be verified against the actual division of work. The O*NET new-hire education feedback is high school or equivalent 57%, some college no degree 12%, and associate degree 12%, and the remaining options are not shown; these are not advertisement proportions. Job Zone1—2/SVP below 6 is a preparation group, and group descriptions such as several days to one year of on-the-job training cannot be turned into a mandatory several-weeks-to-several-months course for everyone. The BLS typical entry is high school or equivalent, related experience None, and medium-term on-the-job training; None does not mean training is unnecessary. China's exact boring machine operator standard partially corresponds to the U.S. metal and plastic drilling and boring classification but is not fully equivalent. BLS51-4032: 2025 employment 4.7 thousand → 2035 projected 4.2 thousand, official net change -0.4 thousand and change -9.5%; each figure is rounded to the published precision, and the endpoints cannot be subtracted to claim a precise reduction of 500 people. 2025—2035 annual average openings 0.4 thousand, about 400, including growth and replacement, and not a ten-year total or a net increase. O*NET rounds to -10%, which is distinguished from the BLS precise value. The self-employment share is —, not provided, and is not filled in as 0 or described as very low. Projections are not Chinese demand, individual hiring probability, or AI causality; OOH is the parent page for Metal and Plastic Machine Workers.

Wages use the BLS 2025 wage data definition: median 49,080 USD per year (23.60 USD per hour); annual percentiles 36,300 / 41,710 / 49,080 / 57,940 / 68,410 USD; hourly percentiles 17.45 / 20.05 / 23.60 / 27.85 / 32.89 USD.

O*NET, citing 2025 industry employment shares for this occupation: manufacturing 87%, which is not industry wages or the share of all manufacturing positions nationwide; more detailed industry wages were not obtained, and the self-employment proportion is not provided.

The National Occupational Standard for Boring Machine Operators (2023 edition), 6-18-01-05, promulgated and effective 2023-08-31 by Ren She Ting Fa [2023] No. 32, refers to operating boring machines to drill, enlarge, and bore holes and to machine end faces / other profile surfaces. 1.4 Level five/junior to level one/senior technician; 1.7 the ordinary education level is junior middle school graduation, which is not the threshold for all employers. 1.8.1 the training reference for each level is not less than 500/400/300/300/200 standard hours, not the general few weeks to several months. 1.9.1 for the junior level, having reached 16 and intending to engage in or engaging in the work; for the intermediate level, alternatives include 5 years of work, junior level +3 years, or a related graduation; the advanced level and technician level have additional multiple paths. 1.9.2 theoretical/skills assessment and, for technicians/senior technicians, a comprehensive review, with passing at 60 points or above in each. Here only PDF1—8 pages and clauses 1.1—1.9 were actually verified, without claiming to cover the full text on safety and process. It corresponds to boring machine operators and does not stand in for standards for all drilling machines/plastics or for turning, milling, and grinding. GB15760-2025 General Technical Specifications for Safety Guards of Metal Cutting Machine Tools, official metadata currently in force, published 2025-08-01 and implemented 2026-08-01. In practice only the metadata was obtained, not the standard's full-text scope of application, item-by-item guard/verification clauses, or replacement list; the name alone does not give all drilling and boring equipment a single operating procedure, and specifics must be verified against the full standard text and equipment documentation. Article 4 of the 2021 revision of the Work Safety Law covers all-staff responsibility / risk grading and the dual prevention of hidden dangers; Article 28 covers being trained and qualified before taking a post, with dispatch and internship management training listed separately; Article 36 covers equipment maintenance, inspection, and records and prohibits shutting down or damaging guards; Article 43 requires dedicated on-site safety management for lifting operations and similar; Articles 44/45 require the organization to inform workers of hazards and emergency response and to provide protective equipment meeting standards and supervise its use per the rules; Article 54 allows refusal of illegal commands or forced risk-taking; Article 55 allows stopping work or taking possible emergency measures and then evacuating in situations that directly endanger personal safety; Articles 57/59 require workers to follow procedures and protection and to report hidden dangers immediately to the on-site safety management personnel or responsible person. Articles 5—7 of the 2018 revision of the Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Law cover the employer responsibility system and the unit's hazard responsibility, the full responsibility of the principal person in charge, and participation in work injury insurance according to law. Stopping, handling, and restarting after general quality anomalies must be verified against the specific equipment/unit procedures, and this page grants no general recovery authority.

This page does not use actors union or film industry definitions; sources and usage boundaries are in the source register.

U.S. 51-4032.00 covers setting up, operating, or tending drilling and boring machine tools for metal and plastic. Its 17 tasks are 16 Core and 1 Supplemental: checking dimensions and tolerances with gauges 96, reading instructions and work orders and drawings 93, automatic feed 89, aligning with a dial indicator 87, zeroing the reference point 87, replacing worn tools 87, selecting speed, feed, depth of cut, and tools 86, fixturing 85, observing operation 83, lifting/directing lifting 81, cooling valves 79, installing tools 79, small assemblies 73 (such as fastening nuts, bolts, and screws), single and multi-spindle drilling machines 73, laying out 73, sharpening on a grinding wheel 67. Tracing attachment contouring 45 is Supplemental and is not core for everyone. The position itself includes dimensional verification and small assemblies; mechanical maintenance is a separately listed general activity, and a 73-point assembly task cannot be treated as a maintenance task; major design/maintenance and signing authority must be verified against the actual division of work.

The selection basis can follow three lines: if you want to set up and operate or tend drilling machines and boring machines in a machining workshop according to drawings and process to complete drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking, this page's occupation is the closest fit; if you want to do other cutting processes such as turning or milling and planing or grinding, lathe operator or metal milling and planing machine tool operator or grinding machine operator are adjacent paths; if you want to operate forming equipment or repair equipment or weld or drill, extruding, drawing, forging, and rolling machine setters and operators or industrial machinery mechanics or welding personnel or earth drillers are another path. When transferring positions, what needs to be filled in is object knowledge and process and equipment and qualifications, not just proficiency.

Boundaries and sources: the differences listed in this table are based on the O*NET occupation profiles and work context data, and on the names and general requirements of the mainland China General Technical Specifications for Safety Guards of Metal Cutting Machine Tools (GB 15760-2025) and the national vocational skill standards for mechanical cold working related to this occupation (Ren She Ting Fa [2018] No. 145) (the rest are cited by standard and regulation name and general requirements, and article numbers were not verified one by one this round). The process, equipment, and qualification requirements of adjacent positions cannot substitute for one another; this page does not infer income levels or hiring conditions from job titles, nor does it read drilling and boring machining duties as process design authority, material and strength judgment authority, quality system certification authority, or equipment repair responsibility.

Lathe operators (51-4034.00)

Operate lathes for cutting rotating workpiece surfaces, responsible for fixturing and tool selection and sharpening and turning internal and external cylindrical surfaces, end faces, tapered surfaces, and threads, and checking precision and error with measuring tools.

The machining motion and object differ: lathe operators rotate the workpiece while the tool feeds, mainly machining rotating surfaces; this page's occupation rotates the tool while the workpiece or spindle feeds, mainly machining holes and hole systems and flat surfaces and grooves. The process, tools, and measuring tools they rely on differ and cannot be interchanged by name.

If you want to do rotating body turning, you can choose the lathe operator direction and check the corresponding skill level requirements; if you want to do drilling and boring hole system machining, this page's occupation is the closest fit.

Metal milling and planing machine tool operators (51-4035.00)

Operate milling machines and planers to perform milling and planing of flat surfaces, grooves, steps, angles, and curved surfaces on workpieces, responsible for fixturing and machine adjustment and selection of milling cutters and planing tools and inspection.

The machine tools and machining content differ: milling and planing operations focus on flat surface, groove, and profile machining on milling machines and planers; this page's occupation focuses on hole and hole system machining on drilling machines and boring machines. The machine tools, tools, and inspection focus differ, and the tasks and outputs cannot be interchanged.

If you want to do flat surface, groove, and profile milling and planing, you can choose the metal milling and planing machine tool operator direction; if you want to do drilling, boring, and reaming, this page's occupation is more suitable.

Grinding machine operators (51-4033.00)

The object and precision target differ: grinding machine operators use grinding wheels to grind, lap, and polish workpieces to obtain high precision and low surface roughness; this page's occupation uses drilling and boring cutting to form holes and flat surfaces, with a different precision target and process basis, and the grinding operation is usually a subsequent finishing step.

If you want to do high-precision and surface quality grinding, you can choose the grinding machine operator direction; if you want to do drilling and boring cutting, this page's occupation is the closest fit.

Forging machine operators (51-4022.00)

The tasks and principle differ: forging machine operators operate forging presses to plastically form metal under heat or at room temperature and control die forging and pressure and temperature; this page's occupation removes material by cutting to form holes and flat surfaces, which is cold cutting rather than pressure forming.

If you want to do forging and pressure forming, you can choose the forging machine operator direction; if you want to do the drilling and boring steps of cutting, this page's occupation is more suitable.

Industrial machinery mechanics (49-9041.00)

Duties and authorization differ: industrial machinery mechanics are responsible for equipment installation, servicing, troubleshooting, and preventive maintenance and for determining equipment availability; this page's occupation is responsible for operating machine tools per the drawings to complete machining, self-inspection, and routine maintenance and does not bear equipment repair or availability determination duties.

If you want to do equipment repair and troubleshooting, you can take the industrial machinery mechanic path and check the corresponding training requirements; if you want to do machine tool machining operations, this page's occupation is the closest fit.

Earth drillers, oil and gas (47-5023.00)

The object and industry differ: earth drillers perform drilling, sampling, and hole making on the ground surface and in rock and soil or boreholes; this page's occupation machines holes and hole systems in mechanical parts on machine tools, and the work object, environment, and industry standards are completely different.

If you want to do surface and downhole drilling, you can choose the earth driller direction and check the drilling and safety requirements; if you want to do drilling and boring of mechanical parts, this page's occupation is more suitable.

Adjacent occupation comparison: six directions easily confused

The six rows below compare this page's occupation with adjacent positions item by item by core work and outputs, key differences, and selection basis. The comparison follows the actual duties of the position and the process, equipment, and authorization documents, does not infer from job titles, and does not read drilling and boring machining duties as process design authority, material and strength judgment authority, quality system certification authority, or equipment repair responsibility.

Conclusion: what makes this page's occupation irreplaceable is setting up and operating or tending drilling machines and boring machines in a machining workshop according to drawings and process to complete drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking, plus self-inspection with measuring tools and maintenance; positions with similar names or scenarios differ in object, process, and authorization, and these three points should be verified first in cross-position comparisons.

Comparison basis: O*NET occupation profiles and work context data, and the names and general requirements of the mainland China General Technical Specifications for Safety Guards of Metal Cutting Machine Tools (GB 15760-2025) and the national vocational skill standards for mechanical cold working (Ren She Ting Fa [2018] No. 145); source links are used within their respective scopes of application.

To compare this page's occupation further with adjacent positions, first write one sentence for each of the columns 'object — basis and authorization — outputs and responsibility', then look back at this table to see whether they agree.

Editorial pending verification: whether drawing and work order extraction and tool suggestions improve efficiency must be checked against real compliant operating conditions for accuracy, rework, and time; there is no measurement for this occupation this round.

Editorial pending verification of trend prompts: whether they improve tool changing and compensation must be measured; review against the actual process, guards, and quality procedures, and AI output cannot issue operating authorization.

Editorial pending verification of record organization: whether it reduces missed entries must be checked; system capabilities and actual first-article procedures were not obtained this round.

Material batch variation and tool wear and equipment thermal deformation and sudden anomalies require on-site judgment and interpersonal coordination and are hard to hand over entirely to a system.

Drawings, process, tolerances, and equipment measurement data are not automatically legally sensitive personal information; where identifiable persons are involved, handle per the purpose necessity of the Personal Information Protection Law, and check sensitive categories against Article 28. The editorial suggestion is to also verify commercial confidentiality, data ownership, external transfer, and retention and training permissions; de-identification does not automatically grant transfer authorization; real enterprise procedures were not obtained.

Final responsibility for machining, self-inspection, tool changing, maintenance, and anomaly reporting, as well as the handling of out-of-tolerance and equipment anomalies, is borne by the operator together with the team and process and inspection, with records kept.

Studies such as those of the International Labour Organization separate 'task exposure' from 'actual adoption and job gains and losses'; this page has no adoption rate, layoff rate, or causal employment evidence for this occupation, and these figures remain unknown and must be verified with specific enterprises and positions.

Boundaries of AI and CNC and manufacturing tools in drilling and boring machining

Drawing and work order extraction, parameter/tool prompts, trend monitoring, and record organization are editorial scenarios pending verification, not deployment or efficiency measurements. CNC and industrial automation are not the same as GenAI; in the software catalog of 6 categories — ERP/SAP, CNC, inventory, Office, Excel, Word — the Hot4 skills all provide no proportions, and the denominator is all unique U.S. job postings for this occupation in 2025, not only postings that list the skill. Moderate automation 43% is not an AI adoption rate. ILO occupational exposure and NIST governance do not provide adoption rates, substitution probabilities, or efficiency results for this occupation.

The following sources are used only to explain the statistical definitions of tasks and work context for this occupation and do not provide automation rates, substitution probabilities, or timelines for this occupation.

O*NET occupation profile (tasks and work context)

Applies only to the task and context description for U.S. 51-4032.00 and does not map to Chinese positions or skill level systems.

BLS OEWS wage and employment statistics

Applies only to the listed occupations and periods and does not provide automation or substitution conclusions.

AI governance and risk management sources

Governance principles for reference: transparency, privacy, human oversight, and record keeping.

Does not provide adoption rates, substitution probabilities, or timelines for this occupation.

Industry and employment structure sources

O*NET, citing 2025 industry employment shares for this occupation: manufacturing 87%, which is not industry wages or the share of all manufacturing positions nationwide; more detailed industry wages were not obtained, and the self-employment proportion is not provided.

Employment structure does not equal a guarantee of individual hiring or income.

Editorial synthesis (the explanations and exercise design on this page)

Used only to organize the explanation and exercise boundaries on this page.

Editorial synthesis is not external fact, qualification, regulatory, or wage evidence.

Will AI replace drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders?

A substitution date cannot be derived from task exposure; judgment of drawings, process, and tolerances, fixturing and alignment and first-article judgment, handling of out-of-tolerance and equipment anomalies and safety, and machining responsibility remain with people.

What should AI assist with first?

Editorial pending verification uses: first limit them to verifiable links such as extracting drawing and work order information, cutting parameter and tool suggestions, tool life and dimensional trend monitoring, and program and record archiving. Specific approved system capabilities, accuracy, and effects must be verified separately; conventional CNC and industrial automation are not GenAI, and the keyword NA is not used as a penetration rate.

What cannot be automatically authorized?

Judgment of drawings, process, and tolerances, fixturing and alignment and first-article trial cutting and acceptance judgment, tool replacement and handling of out-of-tolerance and equipment anomalies, and safety reporting.

Who is responsible for errors in tool output?

Can AI directly decide cutting parameters or judge acceptance?

No; cutting parameters and acceptance judgment are determined by drawings, process, measuring tool readings, and inspection.

How should drawings, process, and measurement data be protected?

Drawings, process, tolerances, and equipment measurement data are not automatically legally sensitive personal information; where identifiable persons are involved, handle per the purpose necessity of the Personal Information Protection Law, and check sensitive categories against Article 28. The editorial suggestion is to also verify commercial confidentiality, data ownership, external transfer, and retention and training permissions; de-identification does not automatically grant transfer authorization; real enterprise procedures were not obtained.

How can you verify whether a tool is really useful?

Use the first-article pass rate, out-of-tolerance and rework rate, tool consumption and equipment failure rate, and anomaly reporting timeliness of comparable batches or machine tools for before-and-after comparison, and keep manual verification records.

Official occupational data

Used only under the O*NET 51-4032.00 task and work context definition.

ILO navigation entry

Drawing and work order extraction, parameter/tool prompts, trend monitoring, and record organization are editorial scenarios pending verification, not deployment or efficiency measurements. CNC and industrial automation are not the same as GenAI; in the software catalog of 6 categories — ERP/SAP, CNC, inventory, Office, Excel, Word — the Hot4 skills all provide no proportions, and the denominator is all unique U.S. job postings for this occupation in 2025, not only postings that list the skill. Moderate automation 43% is not an AI adoption rate. ILO occupational exposure and NIST governance do not provide adoption rates, substitution probabilities, or efficiency results for this occupation.

OOH lookup entry

Not union or deployment evidence; projections are listed separately under current BLS.

OEWS homepage

Not O*NET task or AI adoption evidence.

Qualification training lookup

The O*NET new-hire education feedback is high school or equivalent 57%, some college no degree 12%, and associate degree 12%, and the remaining options are not shown; these are not advertisement proportions. Job Zone1—2/SVP below 6 is a preparation group, and group descriptions such as several days to one year of on-the-job training cannot be turned into a mandatory several-weeks-to-several-months course for everyone. The BLS typical entry is high school or equivalent, related experience None, and medium-term on-the-job training; None does not mean training is unnecessary. China's exact boring machine operator standard partially corresponds to the U.S. metal and plastic drilling and boring classification but is not fully equivalent.

Wage/employment detail tables listed separately

The exact U.S. occupation 51-4032 shows 2025 national 10/25/50/75/90 percentiles of 36,300 / 41,710 / 49,080 / 57,940 / 68,410 USD annual and 17.45 / 20.05 / 23.60 / 27.85 / 32.89 USD hourly, with the original figures retained correctly. OEWS is straight-time pre-tax wages for employed workers, including applicable production bonuses, commissions, and specified allowances, and excluding self-employment, overtime premiums, shift differentials, and non-production bonuses and the like; project-based, outsourced, or dispatched employees are not excluded across the board because of an employment label. Percentiles are not starting pay, seniority levels, or personal caps. BLS51-4032: 2025 employment 4.7 thousand → 2035 projected 4.2 thousand, official net change -0.4 thousand and change -9.5%; each figure is rounded to the published precision, and the endpoints cannot be subtracted to claim a precise reduction of 500 people. 2025—2035 annual average openings 0.4 thousand, about 400, including growth and replacement, and not a ten-year total or a net increase. O*NET rounds to -10%, which is distinguished from the BLS precise value. The self-employment share is —, not provided, and is not filled in as 0 or described as very low. Projections are not Chinese demand, individual hiring probability, or AI causality; OOH is the parent page for Metal and Plastic Machine Workers.

Official governance documents

Used only under the original AI risk management definition and does not constitute a compliance requirements checklist.

Task capability

Adoption conditions

Position outcomes

Drawing reading and preparation

Study the machining instructions and work orders and drawings to determine dimensions, tolerances, operations, fixturing, and tool requirements

Can assist with extracting drawing and work order information and organizing tolerance, operation, and tool key points

Drawings, process, tolerances, and fixturing plans are confirmed by the operator and the process engineer.

Layout

Establish a zero reference point and lay out reference lines and machining positions on the workpiece

Can assist with layout data and coordinate calculation and graphic prompts

The zero reference point and reference lines and alignment are checked and confirmed by the operator.

Parameters and tools

Select and set cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, and tools and install them into the spindle

Editorial pending verification uses: can assist with parameter and tool recommendations and tool life prompts. Specific approved system capabilities, accuracy, and effects must be verified separately; conventional CNC and industrial automation are not GenAI, and the keyword NA is not used as a penetration rate.

Parameter and tool selection and fixturing and safety are confirmed by the operator.

Fixturing and alignment

Position and clamp the workpiece and use a dial indicator to verify that the reference line is parallel to the axis of rotation

Can assist with alignment data and deviation prompts

Fixturing, alignment, and safety are the responsibility of the operator and the team.

Machining and cooling

Operate the machine to engage the automatic feed to complete drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking and direct coolant

Can assist with process monitoring and feed and cooling prompts

Machining, process adjustment, and observation are the responsibility of the operator.

Measurement and self-inspection

Use calipers, micrometers, and gauges to verify dimensions and tolerances and handle out-of-tolerance

Can assist with organizing measurement data and deviation trend prompts

Acceptance judgment and out-of-tolerance handling are confirmed by the operator and inspection.

Tool changing and maintenance and records

Replace and sharpen tools and perform equipment and tooling maintenance and record and report anomalies

Editorial pending verification uses: can assist with tool change reminders and maintenance plans and record archiving. Specific approved system capabilities, accuracy, and effects must be verified separately; conventional CNC and industrial automation are not GenAI, and the keyword NA is not used as a penetration rate.

Tool changing and maintenance and anomaly judgment and reporting are the responsibility of the operator together with the team and the equipment department.

Drilling and boring machining site

Automation of drawings and parameters and records

Judgment of drawings, process, tolerances, and fixturing

Quality and safety

Dimensional trend and tool life monitoring

First-article judgment and out-of-tolerance handling and safety guards

Data and safety

Organization of drawings, process, and measurement data

Data minimum necessity and safety and record keeping

Verify inputs

Verify drawings and work orders and process and tolerances and measuring tools and machine tools and safety guard status.

Limit the purpose

Use tool assistance only within enterprise-approved systems and the scope of authorization.

Human review

The operator or process engineer or inspection reviews parameters and first articles and out-of-tolerance and safety-related links.

Record and escalate

Dimensional out-of-tolerance, equipment anomalies, personal injury, and instructions beyond authorization are registered and then reported per the system.

Responsibility records

Responsibility for machining, self-inspection, tool changing, maintenance, and anomaly reporting is recorded by the operator together with the team and process and inspection.

Misreading drawings and process

Can cause dimensions, tolerances, and operations not to match and rework or batch scrapping.

Follow the drawings, work orders, process, and first-article confirmation and keep records.

Fixturing and alignment not in place

Can cause offset hole positions and parallelism or perpendicularity not meeting requirements and workpiece scrapping.

Follow the fixturing, alignment, and dial indicator verification requirements and keep records.

Improper parameters and tools or insufficient cooling

Can cause dimensional out-of-tolerance, unacceptable surface quality, and abnormal tool wear.

Follow the process parameters, tool, and cooling requirements and monitor.

Uncalibrated measuring tools or omitted self-inspection

Can cause mistaken acceptance, batch out-of-tolerance, and untraceability.

Use measuring tools within the validity period and complete first-article and patrol and self-inspection records.

Improper handling of equipment and guards and anomalies

Can cause personal injury, equipment damage, and an expanding accident.

Work according to machine tool safety guard requirements and stop and report when anomalies occur.

New entrants

First practice reading drawings, fixturing, alignment, measuring tool use, safety guards, and self-inspection thoroughly, then work independently on the machine.

Incumbents

Bring tool suggestions into the existing drawing, parameter, first-article, out-of-tolerance, and reporting procedures.

Enterprises and teams

First define the process, parameters, first articles, measuring tool calibration, safety guards, data and record procedures, and authorization.

Enterprises and competent authorities

Publish safety guard, occupational health, skill level, and quality requirements and accept supervision and inspection.

When comparing real positions, verify separately the city and industry and unit type, whether the position is drilling and boring machine tool operation or turning or milling and planing or grinding or CNC machining, whether it is hourly or piece-rate, whether it includes night shift and overtime and skill level allowance and full attendance and performance pay, and the social insurance and statutory leave and pre-tax and post-tax definitions.

A data gap only means that current sources cannot safely answer the exact wage, not that the market has no quotes; when deciding, keep the position description, pay structure, skill level, shift, and source date.

Editorial verification item: verify the contract's hourly/piece-rate terms, hours, overtime, and whether allowances are counted. No actual samples were obtained, so no general structure or guaranteed peak-season raise can be claimed.

Mainland China wage definition

When citing public figures, the city, industry and unit type, position duties, whether night shift and overtime and skill level and piece-rate or performance allowances are included, and the statistical measure and source date must all be stated.

Insufficient evidence: no national single-occupation wage definition was obtained.

Editorial verification item: verify the contract's hourly/piece-rate terms, hours, overtime, and whether allowances are counted. No actual samples were obtained, so no general structure or guaranteed peak-season raise can be claimed.

National Bureau of Statistics 2025 urban unit wages: manufacturing non-private 113,594 yuan per year and private 76,055 yuan per year, pre-tax annual averages, for matching industry background only, and not the exact median, percentiles, or monthly wage for the drilling and boring occupation. They cover employed persons in legal entity units with 5 or more people and exclude self-employment and freelance work, and cannot exclude project, outsourced, or dispatched employees within statistical units across the board. Insufficient evidence: this round did not obtain China's national exact occupational wage distribution or real pay samples, so it is not claimed that the country has never published them, nor is a general allowance structure or a guaranteed peak-season raise asserted.

Editorial verification item: verify the contract's hourly/piece-rate terms, hours, overtime, and whether allowances are counted. No actual samples were obtained, so no general structure or guaranteed peak-season raise can be claimed.

National Bureau of Statistics 2025 urban unit wages: manufacturing non-private 113,594 yuan per year and private 76,055 yuan per year, pre-tax annual averages, for matching industry background only, and not the exact median, percentiles, or monthly wage for the drilling and boring occupation. They cover employed persons in legal entity units with 5 or more people and exclude self-employment and freelance work, and cannot exclude project, outsourced, or dispatched employees within statistical units across the board. Insufficient evidence: this round did not obtain China's national exact occupational wage distribution or real pay samples, so it is not claimed that the country has never published them, nor is a general allowance structure or a guaranteed peak-season raise asserted.

Editorial contract verification: how are the city and industry, the enterprise, the general or CNC role, the skill level, night shift and overtime, piece-rate and performance allowances, and commissioning and inspection agreed? This round did not obtain the primary versus secondary weighting of pay factors for this occupation or a causal sample, and industry averages do not prove the main driver.

Editorial pending verification uses: AI and CNC and online measurement tools can assist with parameter recommendations and tool life and dimensional trends and records, but wage and hiring conclusions do not arise from them; this page only explains the definitions and boundaries. Specific approved system capabilities, accuracy, and effects must be verified separately; conventional CNC and industrial automation are not GenAI, and the keyword NA is not used as a penetration rate.

This page provides no recruitment quotes or personal income promises; missing items remain missing and are not replaced by industry averages or adjacent occupations.

Wages disclosed on an hourly basis cannot be used to directly derive a stable annual or monthly income without the individual's hours and overtime and night shift and piece-rate arrangements.

BLS51-4032: 2025 employment 4.7 thousand → 2035 projected 4.2 thousand, official net change -0.4 thousand and change -9.5%; each figure is rounded to the published precision, and the endpoints cannot be subtracted to claim a precise reduction of 500 people. 2025—2035 annual average openings 0.4 thousand, about 400, including growth and replacement, and not a ten-year total or a net increase. O*NET rounds to -10%, which is distinguished from the BLS precise value. The self-employment share is —, not provided, and is not filled in as 0 or described as very low. Projections are not Chinese demand, individual hiring probability, or AI causality; OOH is the parent page for Metal and Plastic Machine Workers.

The industry wage table only shows the coverage of this occupation in a specific industry and statistical period and cannot represent all enterprises and positions.

BLS and O*NET have different uses: O*NET provides task and work context and preparation level profiles, while OEWS provides wage statistics; when citing them, keep each definition separately.

U.S. wage reference

2025 wage data (OEWS)

Median 49,080 USD per year (23.60 USD per hour); annual percentiles 36,300 / 41,710 / 49,080 / 57,940 / 68,410 USD; hourly percentiles 17.45 / 20.05 / 23.60 / 27.85 / 32.89 USD.

How to interpret these figures

Percentiles are distribution positions: about 10% of people are below 36,300 USD per year and about 10% are above 68,410 USD per year; they are not a starting pay or upper limit promise.

BLS51-4032: 2025 employment 4.7 thousand → 2035 projected 4.2 thousand, official net change -0.4 thousand and change -9.5%; each figure is rounded to the published precision, and the endpoints cannot be subtracted to claim a precise reduction of 500 people. 2025—2035 annual average openings 0.4 thousand, about 400, including growth and replacement, and not a ten-year total or a net increase. O*NET rounds to -10%, which is distinguished from the BLS precise value. The self-employment share is —, not provided, and is not filled in as 0 or described as very low. Projections are not Chinese demand, individual hiring probability, or AI causality; OOH is the parent page for Metal and Plastic Machine Workers.

Industry and employment

O*NET, citing 2025 industry employment shares for this occupation: manufacturing 87%, which is not industry wages or the share of all manufacturing positions nationwide; more detailed industry wages were not obtained, and the self-employment proportion is not provided.

The O*NET new-hire education feedback is high school or equivalent 57%, some college no degree 12%, and associate degree 12%, and the remaining options are not shown; these are not advertisement proportions. Job Zone1—2/SVP below 6 is a preparation group, and group descriptions such as several days to one year of on-the-job training cannot be turned into a mandatory several-weeks-to-several-months course for everyone. The BLS typical entry is high school or equivalent, related experience None, and medium-term on-the-job training; None does not mean training is unnecessary. China's exact boring machine operator standard partially corresponds to the U.S. metal and plastic drilling and boring classification but is not fully equivalent.

U.S. respondent feedback on 57 work context items: common protective equipment every day 93%, accuracy extremely important 70% / very important 30%; typical week more than 40 hours 79% / 40 hours 21%, regular 80% / irregular 20%; face-to-face every day 52% / weekly but not every day 41%, continuous use of hands 57% / more than half 33%, deadlines every day 51% / weekly but not every day 32% / monthly but not weekly 15%, teamwork extremely important 56% / very important 23%. Noise every day 56% / weekly but not every day 31%, contaminants every day 61%, hazardous equipment every day 54% / weekly but not every day 26%; standing continuously 25% / more than half 50%. Pace determined by equipment speed extremely important 52%, error extremely serious 29% / very serious 27% / serious 26%. Email every day 35% / never 42%, telephone every day 21% / never 44%, continuous contact 51%, decision freedom very large 40% / some 40%. Extreme heat or extreme cold weekly but not every day 29%; whole-body vibration never 85%. Moderate automation 43%, high 14%, slight 24%, none 15% are conventional automation feedback, not a GenAI adoption rate or accident probability.

BLS51-4032: 2025 employment 4.7 thousand → 2035 projected 4.2 thousand, official net change -0.4 thousand and change -9.5%; each figure is rounded to the published precision, and the endpoints cannot be subtracted to claim a precise reduction of 500 people. 2025—2035 annual average openings 0.4 thousand, about 400, including growth and replacement, and not a ten-year total or a net increase. O*NET rounds to -10%, which is distinguished from the BLS precise value. The self-employment share is —, not provided, and is not filled in as 0 or described as very low. Projections are not Chinese demand, individual hiring probability, or AI causality; OOH is the parent page for Metal and Plastic Machine Workers. The exact U.S. occupation 51-4032 shows 2025 national 10/25/50/75/90 percentiles of 36,300 / 41,710 / 49,080 / 57,940 / 68,410 USD annual and 17.45 / 20.05 / 23.60 / 27.85 / 32.89 USD hourly, with the original figures retained correctly. OEWS is straight-time pre-tax wages for employed workers, including applicable production bonuses, commissions, and specified allowances, and excluding self-employment, overtime premiums, shift differentials, and non-production bonuses and the like; project-based, outsourced, or dispatched employees are not excluded across the board because of an employment label. Percentiles are not starting pay, seniority levels, or personal caps.

Factors affecting wages

Editorial contract comparison must verify region/industry/equipment/duties/allowances and hours, and no causal estimate of the factors' effect on wages was obtained. The exact U.S. occupation 51-4032 shows 2025 national 10/25/50/75/90 percentiles of 36,300 / 41,710 / 49,080 / 57,940 / 68,410 USD annual and 17.45 / 20.05 / 23.60 / 27.85 / 32.89 USD hourly, with the original figures retained correctly. OEWS is straight-time pre-tax wages for employed workers, including applicable production bonuses, commissions, and specified allowances, and excluding self-employment, overtime premiums, shift differentials, and non-production bonuses and the like; project-based, outsourced, or dispatched employees are not excluded across the board because of an employment label. Percentiles are not starting pay, seniority levels, or personal caps.

This page uses only exact occupation definitions and data for the periods listed; proxy definitions are not written as exact facts about this occupation.

When comparing opportunities, keep region, period, occupation code, and hours definitions consistent and verify industry, shift, piece-rate or hourly method, and benefits.

Employment outlook

BLS51-4032: 2025 employment 4.7 thousand → 2035 projected 4.2 thousand, official net change -0.4 thousand and change -9.5%; each figure is rounded to the published precision, and the endpoints cannot be subtracted to claim a precise reduction of 500 people. 2025—2035 annual average openings 0.4 thousand, about 400, including growth and replacement, and not a ten-year total or a net increase. O*NET rounds to -10%, which is distinguished from the BLS precise value. The self-employment share is —, not provided, and is not filled in as 0 or described as very low. Projections are not Chinese demand, individual hiring probability, or AI causality; OOH is the parent page for Metal and Plastic Machine Workers.

Observation signal four: able to accept shift and quota and delivery-driven rhythms and willing to do dimensional measurement, self-inspection, equipment maintenance, and record keeping.

Trainable abilities include reading drawings and fixturing and alignment and layout, measuring tool use and dimensional measurement, cutting parameter and tool selection and sharpening, equipment and tooling maintenance and defect elimination, and safety guards and emergency handling.

U.S. respondent feedback on 57 work context items: common protective equipment every day 93%, accuracy extremely important 70% / very important 30%; typical week more than 40 hours 79% / 40 hours 21%, regular 80% / irregular 20%; face-to-face every day 52% / weekly but not every day 41%, continuous use of hands 57% / more than half 33%, deadlines every day 51% / weekly but not every day 32% / monthly but not weekly 15%, teamwork extremely important 56% / very important 23%. Noise every day 56% / weekly but not every day 31%, contaminants every day 61%, hazardous equipment every day 54% / weekly but not every day 26%; standing continuously 25% / more than half 50%. Pace determined by equipment speed extremely important 52%, error extremely serious 29% / very serious 27% / serious 26%. Email every day 35% / never 42%, telephone every day 21% / never 44%, continuous contact 51%, decision freedom very large 40% / some 40%. Extreme heat or extreme cold weekly but not every day 29%; whole-body vibration never 85%. Moderate automation 43%, high 14%, slight 24%, none 15% are conventional automation feedback, not a GenAI adoption rate or accident probability.

Reverse signals include expecting an office or pressing buttons only without reading drawings, being unwilling to wear protective equipment and follow machine tool safety guards and measuring tool calibration requirements, finding it hard to maintain attention on dimensions and tolerances in repetitive operations, or expecting to move into a management position quickly.

Verification method: first do the paper exercise on this page (arrange the drilling and boring sequence according to the drawings and work orders, write tool selection and fixturing and alignment notes, and fill in dimensional measurement and self-inspection and equipment and tool inspection records), then observe your own tolerance for the workshop and noise and oil mist environment and quota rhythm in a supervised position or training.

RC

Official interest code RC; not used for personality diagnosis or hiring decisions.

Official interest code RC (Realistic + Conventional): mainly operating machine tools and equipment in a machining workshop and handling dimensions and on-site anomalies, and working according to drawings, process, tolerances, and records; the Realistic subfield includes mechanical and equipment operation, and the Conventional subfield includes process and record and data and measuring tool handling.

Interests only indicate directions for exploration; actual fit is verified through supervised actual machining and team observation.

What kind of person is suited to this job?

Suited to people willing to stand for long periods in a machining workshop and operate machine tools and measuring tools by hand, to work according to drawings, process, tolerances, and safety guard requirements, and to maintain attention on dimensions under noise and oil mist and repetitive operations.

This is work sample and on-site observation verification, not personality diagnosis or a hiring conclusion.

Verification action: complete one machining sequence and parameter and self-inspection record exercise using the fictional drawings, work orders, measuring tool readings, and equipment inspection materials on this page, and participate in one complete cycle of drawing reading, fixturing, machining, measurement, and maintenance in a supervised position or training, observing your own reactions to the workshop and noise and oil mist and quota rhythm.

Interests and tasks

Given repetitive dimensional measurement and self-inspection and record keeping, can you stay accurate and patient?

Verify through actual observation in a supervised position and feedback from the shift lead.

Dimensional measurement

Self-inspection

Work sample

Interest assessments only indicate directions for exploration and are not personality diagnosis or hiring conclusions.

Stable execution

Can you maintain attention on dimensions and tolerances under noise and oil mist and rush pressure?

Observe machining and emotional stability during rush periods and complex workpiece periods in a supervised position.

Rush work

Accuracy

Work sample

Preference observation

Would you rather work with your hands at a machine tool operating position, or do process and inspection and programming work?

Compare the preference for hands-on machining versus desk process work through a position experience.

Machining

Process

Preference observation

Preference descriptions are not ability conclusions.

Motivation observation

Can you accept shifts and quotas and the repetitive operations and overtime of delivery-driven work?

Check against actual shift and hour experiences and your own schedule arrangements.

Shifts

Schedule

Motivation observation

Not used as a hiring basis.

Problem solving

When a tool chips or dimensions go out of tolerance or equipment anomalies occur, can you stop the machine first per procedure and then handle and report?

Observe the handling order and reporting method through a simulated scenario.

Handling

Reporting

Simulated scenario

Not used as an ability score.

Collaboration boundaries

Can you hand over clearly with the team leader and process and inspection and equipment repair?

Verify through handover and records and feedback from counterparties.

Handover

Escalation

Work sample

Drilling and boring machining work surface: drawing reading and preparation

Can you prepare accurately and complete layout according to the drawings, work orders, and process

Pay attention to the zero reference point and dimensions and tolerances and safety guards.

Drilling and boring machining work surface: fixturing and machining

Can you fixture and align per procedure and control parameters and cooling

Alignment and first-article and self-inspection must not be omitted.

Turning direction: rotate the workpiece to machine rotating surfaces

Can you fixture and select tools per the turning process and turn internal and external cylindrical surfaces, end faces, tapered surfaces, and threads

Pay attention to rotating body precision and tool angles and safety guards.

Milling and planing direction: flat surface, groove, and profile machining

Can you fixture and adjust the machine and select milling cutters and planing tools and inspect per the milling and planing process

Pay attention to flatness and groove position and worktable safety.

Grinding direction: high precision and surface quality machining

Can you fixture and select a grinding wheel and grind and inspect per the grinding process

Pay attention to grinding wheel balance and cooling and dust and safety guards.

Forming direction: forging and pressure forming

Can you control temperature and pressure and dies and cycle according to the forming process

Pay attention to high temperature and heavy loads and die safety and coordination.

Can you remember the key points of drawings, process, tolerances, measuring tools, and safety guards?

Can you accept on-site feedback from the shift lead and the process engineer and improve immediately?

When facing rush work or complex workpieces or equipment anomalies, can you stay restrained and handle it per the process?

Are you interested in drilling and boring machining work itself?

Interest is the starting point; more reliable is experiencing one complete cycle of drawing reading and machining and measurement and maintenance in a supervised position.

Does it require a lot of communication with strangers?

It is required but not primary: teamwork 'extremely important' 56%, face-to-face discussions every day 52%, continuous contact with others 51%, telephone conversations every day 21% (another 44% never), email use every day 35% (another 42% never); communication is mainly with the team leader and process and inspection and equipment repair.

Are there education and qualification requirements?

The O*NET new-hire education feedback is high school or equivalent 57%, some college no degree 12%, and associate degree 12%, and the remaining options are not shown; these are not advertisement proportions. Job Zone1—2/SVP below 6 is a preparation group, and group descriptions such as several days to one year of on-the-job training cannot be turned into a mandatory several-weeks-to-several-months course for everyone. The BLS typical entry is high school or equivalent, related experience None, and medium-term on-the-job training; None does not mean training is unnecessary. China's exact boring machine operator standard partially corresponds to the U.S. metal and plastic drilling and boring classification but is not fully equivalent. The National Occupational Standard for Boring Machine Operators (2023 edition), 6-18-01-05, promulgated and effective 2023-08-31 by Ren She Ting Fa [2023] No. 32, refers to operating boring machines to drill, enlarge, and bore holes and to machine end faces / other profile surfaces. 1.4 Level five/junior to level one/senior technician; 1.7 the ordinary education level is junior middle school graduation, which is not the threshold for all employers. 1.8.1 the training reference for each level is not less than 500/400/300/300/200 standard hours, not the general few weeks to several months. 1.9.1 for the junior level, having reached 16 and intending to engage in or engaging in the work; for the intermediate level, alternatives include 5 years of work, junior level +3 years, or a related graduation; the advanced level and technician level have additional multiple paths. 1.9.2 theoretical/skills assessment and, for technicians/senior technicians, a comprehensive review, with passing at 60 points or above in each. Here only PDF1—8 pages and clauses 1.1—1.9 were actually verified, without claiming to cover the full text on safety and process. It corresponds to boring machine operators and does not stand in for standards for all drilling machines/plastics or for turning, milling, and grinding. The specific access catalog and employer conditions were not verified exhaustively, and nationwide exemption from certification is not inferred from education feedback or standards.

Can you accept the workshop and noise and oil mist environment and shift rhythm?

U.S. feedback from 57 work context respondents: common protective equipment every day 93%, accuracy extremely important 70% / very important 30%; typical week more than 40 hours 79% / 40 hours 21%, regular 80% / irregular 20%; face-to-face every day 52% / weekly but not every day 41%, continuous use of hands 57% / more than half 33%, deadlines every day 51% / weekly but not every day 32% / monthly but not weekly 15%, teamwork extremely important 56% / very important 23%. Noise every day 56% / weekly but not every day 31%, contaminants every day 61%, hazardous equipment every day 54% / weekly but not every day 26%; standing continuously 25% / more than half 50%. Pace determined by equipment speed extremely important 52%, error extremely serious 29% / very serious 27% / serious 26%. Email every day 35% / never 42%, telephone every day 21% / never 44%, continuous contact 51%, decision freedom very large 40% / some 40%. Extreme heat or extreme cold weekly but not every day 29%; whole-body vibration never 85%. Moderate automation 43%, high 14%, slight 24%, none 15% are conventional automation feedback, not a GenAI adoption rate or accident probability. Actual shifts and health fit must be verified separately, and personal injury rates are not inferred from the feedback.

Where should a beginner start practicing?

Start with reading drawings and using measuring tools and safety guards and fixturing and alignment, then learn parameters and tools and machining and measurement and maintenance; you can practice in a supervised position or training, and do not skip safety guards and first-article self-inspection.

Should I take a personality assessment first?

You can use it as a starting point for self-understanding, but do not use it to decide whether to enter the occupation; a more reliable way is to complete the paper exercise on this page and experience one complete machining cycle.

How to verify next?

Complete the paper exercise on this page and seek one supervised position or training experience, recording your true feelings about the workshop and noise and oil mist and quota rhythm.

Official interest R100/C55/I29/A0/E0/S0, and the work style details 84 / dependable 73 / careful 61 / achievement 36 / stress tolerance 30 are occupational description scores, not proportions of practitioners' personalities or individual hiring thresholds. U.S. feedback from 57 work context respondents: common protective equipment every day 93%, accuracy extremely important 70% / very important 30%; typical week more than 40 hours 79% / 40 hours 21%, regular 80% / irregular 20%; face-to-face every day 52% / weekly but not every day 41%, continuous use of hands 57% / more than half 33%, deadlines every day 51% / weekly but not every day 32% / monthly but not weekly 15%, teamwork extremely important 56% / very important 23%. Noise every day 56% / weekly but not every day 31%, contaminants every day 61%, hazardous equipment every day 54% / weekly but not every day 26%; standing continuously 25% / more than half 50%. Pace determined by equipment speed extremely important 52%, error extremely serious 29% / very serious 27% / serious 26%. Email every day 35% / never 42%, telephone every day 21% / never 44%, continuous contact 51%, decision freedom very large 40% / some 40%. Extreme heat or extreme cold weekly but not every day 29%; whole-body vibration never 85%. Moderate automation 43%, high 14%, slight 24%, none 15% are conventional automation feedback, not a GenAI adoption rate or accident probability.

BLS/OEWS: used to explain wage and employment definitions and statistical positions.

Enterprise and team systems and authorization rules: used to explain process, parameters, first articles, measuring tool calibration, safety guards, and data and record boundaries.

Interest assessment tools: only indicate directions for exploration and are not used for personality diagnosis or hiring decisions.

Adjacent occupation comparison (turning and milling and planing and grinding and forging): used to explain the differences between cutting and forming processes.

The actual link is the homepage of the human resources and social security department, serving as a search entry point; it is not the original text of equipment repair, welding, or drilling tasks, and not an actually obtained employer announcement.

The actual link is the forging machine operator task definition, used to compare pressure forming task differences; it is not the national standard for boring machine operators or a machine tool safety specification.

The actual link is the occupation definition for grinding, lapping, polishing, and deburring machine operators, used to compare grinding, sharpening, and polishing tasks; it is not an editorial synthesis source.

Editorial suggestion: verify the speed, feed, depth of cut, tools, and cooling specified by the real process, report anomalies through actual channels, and note that no general parameters were obtained.

Editorial suggestion: verify measuring tool applicability and validity per the real metrology/quality procedures, complete the specified dimensional self-inspection, and keep records; specific calibration cycles and first-article rules were not obtained.

Per Article 36 of the Work Safety Law, inspect and maintain equipment, and report hidden dangers immediately per Article 59; in emergencies that directly endanger personal safety, stop work per Article 55 or take possible emergency measures and then evacuate; general anomalies and restarting must be verified against the real procedures.

Editorial suggestion: accurately record anomalies and the workpieces/equipment involved, and report accident hazards immediately to the on-site safety management personnel or responsible person (Article 59); verify quality anomalies through the actual process channels, and do not resume work on your own.

Risks and control points for drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders

First identify six categories of risk: misreading drawings and process, fixturing and alignment not in place, improper parameters and tools or insufficient cooling, uncalibrated measuring tools or omitted self-inspection, improper handling of equipment and guards and anomalies, and missing records and delayed anomaly reporting.

The six categories of risk are editorial scenarios combined with actual tasks, and O*NET does not provide accident rates; statutory responsibilities are verified by article, GB is only metadata, and specific enterprise processes, measuring tool cycles, and quality anomaly shutdown or recovery procedures were not obtained. Article 4 of the 2021 revision of the Work Safety Law covers all-staff responsibility / risk grading and the dual prevention of hidden dangers; Article 28 covers being trained and qualified before taking a post, with dispatch and internship management training listed separately; Article 36 covers equipment maintenance, inspection, and records and prohibits shutting down or damaging guards; Article 43 requires dedicated on-site safety management for lifting operations and similar; Articles 44/45 require the organization to inform workers of hazards and emergency response and to provide protective equipment meeting standards and supervise its use per the rules; Article 54 allows refusal of illegal commands or forced risk-taking; Article 55 allows stopping work or taking possible emergency measures and then evacuating in situations that directly endanger personal safety; Articles 57/59 require workers to follow procedures and protection and to report hidden dangers immediately to the on-site safety management personnel or responsible person. Articles 5—7 of the 2018 revision of the Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Law cover the employer responsibility system and the unit's hazard responsibility, the full responsibility of the principal person in charge, and participation in work injury insurance according to law. Stopping, handling, and restarting after general quality anomalies must be verified against the specific equipment/unit procedures, and this page grants no general recovery authority.

This page cannot be used to replace machine tool safety guard standards and work safety and occupational health regulations or this enterprise's systems and local quality and safety rules.

View risks by machining workshop

Misreading drawings and process

Drawing reading and preparation position

Drawings, work orders, process, tolerances, and operations are not checked clearly, resulting in dimensions, tolerances, and operations not matching and rework or batch scrapping.

Causes rework and scrapping and cost loss.

Fixturing and alignment not in place

Fixturing and machining position

Failing to position and clamp the workpiece or to confirm with a dial indicator that the reference line is parallel to the axis of rotation, resulting in offset hole positions, out-of-tolerance geometric tolerances, and workpiece scrapping.

Causes workpiece scrapping and batch defects.

Improper parameters and tools or insufficient cooling

Parameters and tools position

Improper selection of cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, and tools or insufficient cooling, resulting in dimensional out-of-tolerance, unacceptable surface quality, and abnormal tool wear.

Causes out-of-tolerance, tool consumption, and downtime.

Uncalibrated measuring tools or omitted self-inspection

Measurement and self-inspection position

Using uncalibrated or expired measuring tools or omitting first-article and patrol and self-inspection, resulting in mistaken acceptance and batch out-of-tolerance.

Causes batch out-of-tolerance and untraceability.

Improper handling of equipment and guards and anomalies

Equipment and guards position

Equipment or guard defects may cause injury; inspect and report per the specific equipment procedures; emergency situations that directly endanger personal safety follow the stop-work/evacuation conditions of Article 55 of the law, and all general quality anomalies cannot be treated as equivalent.

Causes personal and equipment accidents.

Missing records and delayed anomaly reporting

Records and reporting position

Missing records of machining and measurement and tool changing and anomalies, or failure to report equipment and personal and quality anomalies as required, delays handling and magnifies the consequences.

Causes an expanding accident and liability risk.

The exact U.S. occupation 51-4032 shows 2025 national 10/25/50/75/90 percentiles of 36,300 / 41,710 / 49,080 / 57,940 / 68,410 USD annual and 17.45 / 20.05 / 23.60 / 27.85 / 32.89 USD hourly, with the original figures retained correctly. OEWS is straight-time pre-tax wages for employed workers, including applicable production bonuses, commissions, and specified allowances, and excluding self-employment, overtime premiums, shift differentials, and non-production bonuses and the like; project-based, outsourced, or dispatched employees are not excluded across the board because of an employment label. Percentiles are not starting pay, seniority levels, or personal caps. BLS51-4032: 2025 employment 4.7 thousand → 2035 projected 4.2 thousand, official net change -0.4 thousand and change -9.5%; each figure is rounded to the published precision, and the endpoints cannot be subtracted to claim a precise reduction of 500 people. 2025—2035 annual average openings 0.4 thousand, about 400, including growth and replacement, and not a ten-year total or a net increase. O*NET rounds to -10%, which is distinguished from the BLS precise value. The self-employment share is —, not provided, and is not filled in as 0 or described as very low. Projections are not Chinese demand, individual hiring probability, or AI causality; OOH is the parent page for Metal and Plastic Machine Workers.

Real enterprise process, safety, and recovery systems were not obtained; the homepage is not the text of the system.

The National Occupational Standard for Boring Machine Operators (2023 edition), 6-18-01-05, promulgated and effective 2023-08-31 by Ren She Ting Fa [2023] No. 32, refers to operating boring machines to drill, enlarge, and bore holes and to machine end faces / other profile surfaces. 1.4 Level five/junior to level one/senior technician; 1.7 the ordinary education level is junior middle school graduation, which is not the threshold for all employers. 1.8.1 the training reference for each level is not less than 500/400/300/300/200 standard hours, not the general few weeks to several months. 1.9.1 for the junior level, having reached 16 and intending to engage in or engaging in the work; for the intermediate level, alternatives include 5 years of work, junior level +3 years, or a related graduation; the advanced level and technician level have additional multiple paths. 1.9.2 theoretical/skills assessment and, for technicians/senior technicians, a comprehensive review, with passing at 60 points or above in each. Here only PDF1—8 pages and clauses 1.1—1.9 were actually verified, without claiming to cover the full text on safety and process. It corresponds to boring machine operators and does not stand in for standards for all drilling machines/plastics or for turning, milling, and grinding. GB15760-2025 General Technical Specifications for Safety Guards of Metal Cutting Machine Tools, official metadata currently in force, published 2025-08-01 and implemented 2026-08-01. In practice only the metadata was obtained, not the standard's full-text scope of application, item-by-item guard/verification clauses, or replacement list; the name alone does not give all drilling and boring equipment a single operating procedure, and specifics must be verified against the full standard text and equipment documentation.

The actual link is the O*NET profile for this occupation, supporting tasks and work context; it is not the OEWS homepage, wage composition, or a safety law.

Article 4 of the 2021 revision of the Work Safety Law covers all-staff responsibility / risk grading and the dual prevention of hidden dangers; Article 28 covers being trained and qualified before taking a post, with dispatch and internship management training listed separately; Article 36 covers equipment maintenance, inspection, and records and prohibits shutting down or damaging guards; Article 43 requires dedicated on-site safety management for lifting operations and similar; Articles 44/45 require the organization to inform workers of hazards and emergency response and to provide protective equipment meeting standards and supervise its use per the rules; Article 54 allows refusal of illegal commands or forced risk-taking; Article 55 allows stopping work or taking possible emergency measures and then evacuating in situations that directly endanger personal safety; Articles 57/59 require workers to follow procedures and protection and to report hidden dangers immediately to the on-site safety management personnel or responsible person. Articles 5—7 of the 2018 revision of the Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Law cover the employer responsibility system and the unit's hazard responsibility, the full responsibility of the principal person in charge, and participation in work injury insurance according to law. Stopping, handling, and restarting after general quality anomalies must be verified against the specific equipment/unit procedures, and this page grants no general recovery authority.

The O*NET new-hire education feedback is high school or equivalent 57%, some college no degree 12%, and associate degree 12%, and the remaining options are not shown; these are not advertisement proportions. Job Zone1—2/SVP below 6 is a preparation group, and group descriptions such as several days to one year of on-the-job training cannot be turned into a mandatory several-weeks-to-several-months course for everyone. The BLS typical entry is high school or equivalent, related experience None, and medium-term on-the-job training; None does not mean training is unnecessary. China's exact boring machine operator standard partially corresponds to the U.S. metal and plastic drilling and boring classification but is not fully equivalent.

The National Occupational Standard for Boring Machine Operators (2023 edition), 6-18-01-05, promulgated and effective 2023-08-31 by Ren She Ting Fa [2023] No. 32, refers to operating boring machines to drill, enlarge, and bore holes and to machine end faces / other profile surfaces. 1.4 Level five/junior to level one/senior technician; 1.7 the ordinary education level is junior middle school graduation, which is not the threshold for all employers. 1.8.1 the training reference for each level is not less than 500/400/300/300/200 standard hours, not the general few weeks to several months. 1.9.1 for the junior level, having reached 16 and intending to engage in or engaging in the work; for the intermediate level, alternatives include 5 years of work, junior level +3 years, or a related graduation; the advanced level and technician level have additional multiple paths. 1.9.2 theoretical/skills assessment and, for technicians/senior technicians, a comprehensive review, with passing at 60 points or above in each. Here only PDF1—8 pages and clauses 1.1—1.9 were actually verified, without claiming to cover the full text on safety and process. It corresponds to boring machine operators and does not stand in for standards for all drilling machines/plastics or for turning, milling, and grinding.

Article 4 of the 2021 revision of the Work Safety Law covers all-staff responsibility / risk grading and the dual prevention of hidden dangers; Article 28 covers being trained and qualified before taking a post, with dispatch and internship management training listed separately; Article 36 covers equipment maintenance, inspection, and records and prohibits shutting down or damaging guards; Article 43 requires dedicated on-site safety management for lifting operations and similar; Articles 44/45 require the organization to inform workers of hazards and emergency response and to provide protective equipment meeting standards and supervise its use per the rules; Article 54 allows refusal of illegal commands or forced risk-taking; Article 55 allows stopping work or taking possible emergency measures and then evacuating in situations that directly endanger personal safety; Articles 57/59 require workers to follow procedures and protection and to report hidden dangers immediately to the on-site safety management personnel or responsible person. Articles 5—7 of the 2018 revision of the Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Law cover the employer responsibility system and the unit's hazard responsibility, the full responsibility of the principal person in charge, and participation in work injury insurance according to law. Stopping, handling, and restarting after general quality anomalies must be verified against the specific equipment/unit procedures, and this page grants no general recovery authority.

Specific Chinese access catalogs, employer conditions, and qualification assessment institutions and U.S. jurisdictions were not verified exhaustively; a standard is not a general machine tool operating license, and exploration exercises do not constitute job training.

Entering drilling and boring machine tool operation is not a matter of signing up for a single course; first verify the products and equipment types and shift and quota arrangements of the target position, and whether machining training and skill levels and safety and quality rules are required.

Stage one: use fictional drawings, work orders, process, and measuring tool materials to practice machining sequence and tool selection and fixturing and alignment and self-inspection and records.

Stage two: complete limited operation and inspection and record tasks in a supervised position, and keep shift lead feedback and correction records.

Entry, qualifications, and career development

Common entry directions and early tasks

Entry requirements, skill levels, and safety boundaries are verified by the specific jurisdiction, enterprise, and team; the exercises on this page do not constitute job training or a skill level or machine tool operation authorization.

Article 4 of the 2021 revision of the Work Safety Law covers all-staff responsibility / risk grading and the dual prevention of hidden dangers; Article 28 covers being trained and qualified before taking a post, with dispatch and internship management training listed separately; Article 36 covers equipment maintenance, inspection, and records and prohibits shutting down or damaging guards; Article 43 requires dedicated on-site safety management for lifting operations and similar; Articles 44/45 require the organization to inform workers of hazards and emergency response and to provide protective equipment meeting standards and supervise its use per the rules; Article 54 allows refusal of illegal commands or forced risk-taking; Article 55 allows stopping work or taking possible emergency measures and then evacuating in situations that directly endanger personal safety; Articles 57/59 require workers to follow procedures and protection and to report hidden dangers immediately to the on-site safety management personnel or responsible person. Articles 5—7 of the 2018 revision of the Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Law cover the employer responsibility system and the unit's hazard responsibility, the full responsibility of the principal person in charge, and participation in work injury insurance according to law. Stopping, handling, and restarting after general quality anomalies must be verified against the specific equipment/unit procedures, and this page grants no general recovery authority. GB15760-2025 General Technical Specifications for Safety Guards of Metal Cutting Machine Tools, official metadata currently in force, published 2025-08-01 and implemented 2026-08-01. In practice only the metadata was obtained, not the standard's full-text scope of application, item-by-item guard/verification clauses, or replacement list; the name alone does not give all drilling and boring equipment a single operating procedure, and specifics must be verified against the full standard text and equipment documentation.

The National Occupational Standard for Boring Machine Operators (2023 edition), 6-18-01-05, promulgated and effective 2023-08-31 by Ren She Ting Fa [2023] No. 32, refers to operating boring machines to drill, enlarge, and bore holes and to machine end faces / other profile surfaces. 1.4 Level five/junior to level one/senior technician; 1.7 the ordinary education level is junior middle school graduation, which is not the threshold for all employers. 1.8.1 the training reference for each level is not less than 500/400/300/300/200 standard hours, not the general few weeks to several months. 1.9.1 for the junior level, having reached 16 and intending to engage in or engaging in the work; for the intermediate level, alternatives include 5 years of work, junior level +3 years, or a related graduation; the advanced level and technician level have additional multiple paths. 1.9.2 theoretical/skills assessment and, for technicians/senior technicians, a comprehensive review, with passing at 60 points or above in each. Here only PDF1—8 pages and clauses 1.1—1.9 were actually verified, without claiming to cover the full text on safety and process. It corresponds to boring machine operators and does not stand in for standards for all drilling machines/plastics or for turning, milling, and grinding. GB15760-2025 General Technical Specifications for Safety Guards of Metal Cutting Machine Tools, official metadata currently in force, published 2025-08-01 and implemented 2026-08-01. In practice only the metadata was obtained, not the standard's full-text scope of application, item-by-item guard/verification clauses, or replacement list; the name alone does not give all drilling and boring equipment a single operating procedure, and specifics must be verified against the full standard text and equipment documentation. Article 4 of the 2021 revision of the Work Safety Law covers all-staff responsibility / risk grading and the dual prevention of hidden dangers; Article 28 covers being trained and qualified before taking a post, with dispatch and internship management training listed separately; Article 36 covers equipment maintenance, inspection, and records and prohibits shutting down or damaging guards; Article 43 requires dedicated on-site safety management for lifting operations and similar; Articles 44/45 require the organization to inform workers of hazards and emergency response and to provide protective equipment meeting standards and supervise its use per the rules; Article 54 allows refusal of illegal commands or forced risk-taking; Article 55 allows stopping work or taking possible emergency measures and then evacuating in situations that directly endanger personal safety; Articles 57/59 require workers to follow procedures and protection and to report hidden dangers immediately to the on-site safety management personnel or responsible person. Articles 5—7 of the 2018 revision of the Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Law cover the employer responsibility system and the unit's hazard responsibility, the full responsibility of the principal person in charge, and participation in work injury insurance according to law. Stopping, handling, and restarting after general quality anomalies must be verified against the specific equipment/unit procedures, and this page grants no general recovery authority.

The O*NET new-hire education feedback is high school or equivalent 57%, some college no degree 12%, and associate degree 12%, and the remaining options are not shown; these are not advertisement proportions. Job Zone1—2/SVP below 6 is a preparation group, and group descriptions such as several days to one year of on-the-job training cannot be turned into a mandatory several-weeks-to-several-months course for everyone. The BLS typical entry is high school or equivalent, related experience None, and medium-term on-the-job training; None does not mean training is unnecessary. China's exact boring machine operator standard partially corresponds to the U.S. metal and plastic drilling and boring classification but is not fully equivalent. The National Occupational Standard for Boring Machine Operators (2023 edition), 6-18-01-05, promulgated and effective 2023-08-31 by Ren She Ting Fa [2023] No. 32, refers to operating boring machines to drill, enlarge, and bore holes and to machine end faces / other profile surfaces. 1.4 Level five/junior to level one/senior technician; 1.7 the ordinary education level is junior middle school graduation, which is not the threshold for all employers. 1.8.1 the training reference for each level is not less than 500/400/300/300/200 standard hours, not the general few weeks to several months. 1.9.1 for the junior level, having reached 16 and intending to engage in or engaging in the work; for the intermediate level, alternatives include 5 years of work, junior level +3 years, or a related graduation; the advanced level and technician level have additional multiple paths. 1.9.2 theoretical/skills assessment and, for technicians/senior technicians, a comprehensive review, with passing at 60 points or above in each. Here only PDF1—8 pages and clauses 1.1—1.9 were actually verified, without claiming to cover the full text on safety and process. It corresponds to boring machine operators and does not stand in for standards for all drilling machines/plastics or for turning, milling, and grinding.

Drawing reading and preparation

Verify the drawings and work orders and process and dimensions and tolerances and operations and fixturing and tool requirements, complete the zero reference point and layout, and select and set parameters and tools.

Fixturing and machining and measurement

Position and clamp and align the workpiece, operate the machine to complete drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking, and use measuring tools to verify dimensions and tolerances and handle out-of-tolerance.

Tool changing and maintenance and records

Replace and sharpen tools, maintain machine tools and tooling, and record machining and measurement and tool change and anomalies and report and hand over as required.

Tooling and setup and mentoring

Take part in tooling and setup and parameter optimization and first-article confirmation, keep records and hand over, and mentor new operators.

Drawing reading and preparation

Entry assistance

Verify drawings and process under mentoring and complete layout and select and install tools.

Able to organize and mark uncertain items according to drawings and work orders and process cards.

Take training and obtain the necessary authorization as required by the enterprise and team.

After becoming proficient, expand to more workpiece and operation types.

Stable execution

Independently complete drawing reading and preparation and fixturing and alignment and maintain efficiency during peak periods.

First-article and patrol records and shift lead comments.

Editorial pending verification: whether the actual enterprise requires retraining and the cycle; statutory safety training obligations are verified separately under the law, and a unified promotion system is not inferred from this.

Verify materials and tools and operating conditions.

Complex collaboration

Collaborate among different workpieces and equipment and teams and handle fixturing and alignment problems.

Multi-workpiece collaboration and fixturing and alignment records and supervisor comments.

Take process and safety training per the system.

Take part in fixturing and process improvement.

Shift leading and responsibility

Lead a shift and take responsibility for the preparation and machining and quality of one operation or machine tool.

Shift lead records and first-article spot checks and anomaly handling records.

Take shift leading and management training per the system.

Develop toward process or team leader.

Fixturing and machining and measurement

Fixturing and alignment

Fixture and align per procedure and use a dial indicator to verify that the reference line is parallel to the axis of rotation.

Fixturing and alignment and geometric tolerance records.

Take fixturing and alignment training per the system.

Learn fixturing of complex workpieces and thin-walled parts.

Drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking

Operate the machine per procedure to complete drilling, boring, reaming, milling, and countersinking and control cooling.

Machining dimensions and surface quality and process records.

Take machine tool and process training per the system.

Expand to more materials and operating conditions.

Parameters and tools

Select and set cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, and tools according to the material and requirements.

Parameter and tool selection and tool life records.

Take cutting and tool training per the system.

Take part in parameter optimization and tool improvement.

Measurement and self-inspection

Use calipers, micrometers, and gauges to verify dimensions and tolerances and handle out-of-tolerance.

Dimensional and geometric tolerance measurement and self-inspection records.

Take measurement and self-inspection training per the system.

Develop toward process or inspection.

Tool changing and maintenance and records

Tool and tooling management

Handle tool requisition and sharpening and tooling maintenance and tool life tracking.

Tool and tooling ledgers and sharpening and life records.

Take tool and tooling training per the system.

Take part in tool and tooling improvement.

Equipment and tooling maintenance

Perform routine maintenance on machine tools and tooling and clear defects or refer them to equipment repair.

Equipment and tooling maintenance and defect and referral records.

Take equipment and repair training per the system.

Take part in maintenance plans and spare parts improvement.

Records and traceability

Record machining, measurement, and tool change data and ensure traceability.

Machining and measurement and tool change records and traceability records.

Take records and traceability training per the system.

Learn quality traceability and statistical requirements.

Anomalies and reporting and mentoring

Editorial task exploration: participate in anomaly handling and mentoring within the specific authorization; the responsible person's promotion and recovery procedures must be verified against the real position and are not a uniform growth path.

Anomaly reporting and handling and mentoring records.

Take safety and emergency training per the system.

Develop toward process or team leader.

The actual link is the BLS OOH occupation lookup entry, and the entry point cannot be used to prove this occupation's work context or preparation group, nor is it the text of the OEWS method; specific materials are in O*NET, wages, and the BLS projections table respectively.

The actual link is the homepage of the human resources and social security department, not a safety law or an actually obtained enterprise system; enterprise training process and quality recovery requirements were not obtained, and the safety law clauses are in the corresponding regulatory text.

The National Occupational Standard for Boring Machine Operators (2023 edition), 6-18-01-05, promulgated and effective 2023-08-31 by Ren She Ting Fa [2023] No. 32, refers to operating boring machines to drill, enlarge, and bore holes and to machine end faces / other profile surfaces. 1.4 Level five/junior to level one/senior technician; 1.7 the ordinary education level is junior middle school graduation, which is not the threshold for all employers. 1.8.1 the training reference for each level is not less than 500/400/300/300/200 standard hours, not the general few weeks to several months. 1.9.1 for the junior level, having reached 16 and intending to engage in or engaging in the work; for the intermediate level, alternatives include 5 years of work, junior level +3 years, or a related graduation; the advanced level and technician level have additional multiple paths. 1.9.2 theoretical/skills assessment and, for technicians/senior technicians, a comprehensive review, with passing at 60 points or above in each. Here only PDF1—8 pages and clauses 1.1—1.9 were actually verified, without claiming to cover the full text on safety and process. It corresponds to boring machine operators and does not stand in for standards for all drilling machines/plastics or for turning, milling, and grinding. GB15760-2025 General Technical Specifications for Safety Guards of Metal Cutting Machine Tools, official metadata currently in force, published 2025-08-01 and implemented 2026-08-01. In practice only the metadata was obtained, not the standard's full-text scope of application, item-by-item guard/verification clauses, or replacement list; the name alone does not give all drilling and boring equipment a single operating procedure, and specifics must be verified against the full standard text and equipment documentation.

Wage and environment definitions: this page does not use actors union or film industry definitions; wages cite OEWS and the environment cites O*NET.

These national data correspond only to U.S. 51-4032.00 and do not represent a state, an industry, or an enterprise, nor the Chinese market or an individual's hiring probability; this occupation is projected to decline, and statistical fluctuation is related to industry conditions.

O*NET, citing 2025 industry employment shares for this occupation: manufacturing 87%, which is not industry wages or the share of all manufacturing positions nationwide; more detailed industry wages were not obtained, and the self-employment proportion is not provided.

When looking at real opportunities, record the city and industry, unit type and size, whether the position is general drilling and boring machine tools or CNC machine tool operation, whether it includes skill level and night shift and overtime and piece-rate allowances, and the date, and deduplicate by source instead of looking at a single job advertisement.

Career outlook and transitions to related occupations

U.S. statistics apply only to 51-4032.00 and the periods listed and are not extrapolated to Chinese positions or an industry.

Enterprise and team employment arrangements vary by organization; this page provides no promise of hiring or income.

Job advertisements reflect demand only at the time they are posted and cannot represent the national market or long-term trends.

Editorial transferable skill assumption: mechanical control, work order, and inspection experience must be verified by the individual; the target duties are turning 51-4034: boring, threads, forming, end faces, and so on; supplement lathe process and fixturing, and do not claim zero-cost mutual recognition.

Turning 51-4034: boring, threads, forming, end faces, and so on; supplement lathe process and fixturing, and do not claim zero-cost mutual recognition.

Editorial assessment, to be verified against actual skills and the target equipment, process, and qualifications; no promise of duration or hiring.

Editorial transferable skill assumption: mechanical control, work order, and inspection experience must be verified by the individual; the target duties are milling and planing 51-4035: milling, planing, forming, slots, and contours; supplement equipment, tools, and operations.

Milling and planing 51-4035: milling, planing, forming, slots, and contours; supplement equipment, tools, and operations.

Editorial assessment, to be verified against actual skills and the target equipment, process, and qualifications; no promise of duration or hiring.

Editorial transferable skill assumption: mechanical control, work order, and inspection experience must be verified by the individual; the target duties are grinding 51-4033: removing excess material and burrs, sharpening, polishing, and honing; this is not entirely equivalent to high precision, and abrasives and equipment must be supplemented.

Grinding 51-4033: removing excess material and burrs, sharpening, polishing, and honing; this is not entirely equivalent to high precision, and abrasives and equipment must be supplemented.

Editorial assessment, to be verified against actual skills and the target equipment, process, and qualifications; no promise of duration or hiring.

Editorial transferable skill assumption: mechanical control, work order, and inspection experience must be verified by the individual; the target duties are forging 51-4022: metal or plastic taper forming; supplement forming equipment, dies, and operating conditions.

Forging 51-4022: metal or plastic taper forming; supplement forming equipment, dies, and operating conditions.

Editorial assessment, to be verified against actual skills and the target equipment, process, and qualifications; no promise of duration or hiring.

Editorial transferable skill assumption: mechanical control, work order, and inspection experience must be verified by the individual; the target duties are industrial machinery repair 49-9041: repair, installation, adjustment, maintenance, and mobile equipment; the 73-point task in this occupation is small assembly; mechanical maintenance may be verified separately for overlap against the 49-point general work activities and the specific position, and is not a repair translation of that task, but major repair diagnosis and position requirements must be supplemented.

Industrial machinery repair 49-9041: repair, installation, adjustment, maintenance, and mobile equipment; the 73-point task in this occupation is small assembly; mechanical maintenance may be verified separately for overlap against the 49-point general work activities and the specific position, and is not a repair translation of that task, but major repair diagnosis and position requirements must be supplemented.

Editorial assessment, to be verified against actual skills and the target equipment, process, and qualifications; no promise of duration or hiring.

Editorial transferable skill assumption: mechanical control, work order, and inspection experience must be verified by the individual; the target duties are extrusion and drawing 51-4021: forming of hot plastic/metal tubes, rods, wire, and so on; supplement dies, materials, and process, and this is not milling and planing.

Extrusion and drawing 51-4021: forming of hot plastic/metal tubes, rods, wire, and so on; supplement dies, materials, and process, and this is not milling and planing.

Editorial assessment, to be verified against actual skills and the target equipment, process, and qualifications; no promise of duration or hiring.

Editorial transferable skill assumption: mechanical control, work order, and inspection experience must be verified by the individual; the target duties are welding, cutting, and brazing 51-4121: manual welding/flame cutting, and so on; supplement welding process and applicable qualifications, and being able to do mechanical work does not qualify a person for the post.

Welding, cutting, and brazing 51-4121: manual welding/flame cutting, and so on; supplement welding process and applicable qualifications, and being able to do mechanical work does not qualify a person for the post.

Editorial assessment, to be verified against actual skills and the target equipment, process, and qualifications; no promise of duration or hiring.

Editorial transferable skill assumption: mechanical control, work order, and inspection experience must be verified by the individual; the target duties are earth drilling 47-5023: wells, mineral and soil coring, blast holes, and horizontal drilling, and so on, excluding oil and gas; supplement geology, drilling tools, and site requirements, and being in the same drilling business does not make a person automatically competent.

Earth drilling 47-5023: wells, mineral and soil coring, blast holes, and horizontal drilling, and so on, excluding oil and gas; supplement geology, drilling tools, and site requirements, and being in the same drilling business does not make a person automatically competent.

Editorial assessment, to be verified against actual skills and the target equipment, process, and qualifications; no promise of duration or hiring.

The exact U.S. occupation 51-4032 shows 2025 national 10/25/50/75/90 percentiles of 36,300 / 41,710 / 49,080 / 57,940 / 68,410 USD annual and 17.45 / 20.05 / 23.60 / 27.85 / 32.89 USD hourly, with the original figures retained correctly. OEWS is straight-time pre-tax wages for employed workers, including applicable production bonuses, commissions, and specified allowances, and excluding self-employment, overtime premiums, shift differentials, and non-production bonuses and the like; project-based, outsourced, or dispatched employees are not excluded across the board because of an employment label. Percentiles are not starting pay, seniority levels, or personal caps. BLS51-4032: 2025 employment 4.7 thousand → 2035 projected 4.2 thousand, official net change -0.4 thousand and change -9.5%; each figure is rounded to the published precision, and the endpoints cannot be subtracted to claim a precise reduction of 500 people. 2025—2035 annual average openings 0.4 thousand, about 400, including growth and replacement, and not a ten-year total or a net increase. O*NET rounds to -10%, which is distinguished from the BLS precise value. The self-employment share is —, not provided, and is not filled in as 0 or described as very low. Projections are not Chinese demand, individual hiring probability, or AI causality; OOH is the parent page for Metal and Plastic Machine Workers.

BLS51-4032: 2025 employment 4.7 thousand → 2035 projected 4.2 thousand, official net change -0.4 thousand and change -9.5%; each figure is rounded to the published precision, and the endpoints cannot be subtracted to claim a precise reduction of 500 people. 2025—2035 annual average openings 0.4 thousand, about 400, including growth and replacement, and not a ten-year total or a net increase. O*NET rounds to -10%, which is distinguished from the BLS precise value. The self-employment share is —, not provided, and is not filled in as 0 or described as very low. Projections are not Chinese demand, individual hiring probability, or AI causality; OOH is the parent page for Metal and Plastic Machine Workers.

The actual link is the homepage of the human resources and social security department, not the text of a safety law or an enterprise system sample; unit and individual safety responsibilities are verified against the specific regulations already listed, and position requirements must be actually obtained.

O*NET 51-4032.00: used for tasks, work context, and preparation level.

FermatMind career content production

O*NET51-4032, 2025 wages and the 2025—2035 projection, and the NBS2025 manufacturing industry average; China's 2023 boring machine operator standard was verified only for pages 1—8, and GB15760-2025 was only official metadata; the specific clauses of the work safety law and the occupational disease law are verified separately.

2026-10-09

Source scopes, limitations, and statistical periods are verified separately against the original evidence; data not obtained is visibly marked in the corresponding place.