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Occupational definition｜O*NET-SOC51-4022.00 sets up, operates, or tends forging machines to shape metal or plastic parts; tasks include reading the specified tolerances and process steps on work orders and drawings, setting and adjusting dies and fixtures, running and observing a first article, measuring dimensions, trimming and compressing forgings, and using hoisting equipment to install and remove dies and to repair or replace die parts. The official description also lists maintaining and repairing production tools, so maintenance and repair or in-process inspection cannot be excluded as a whole; complex electrical repair, design changes, and final release authority must be checked against the specific position, equipment, and effective procedures and are not decided uniformly by the title.
Exploration checklist｜Occupational definition｜O*NET-SOC51-4022.00 sets up, operates, or tends forging machines to shape metal or plastic parts; tasks include reading the specified tolerances and process steps on work orders and drawings, setting and adjusting dies and fixtures, running and observing a first article, measuring dimensions, trimming and compressing forgings, and using hoisting equipment to install and remove dies and to repair or replace die parts. The official description also lists maintaining and repairing production tools, so maintenance and repair or in-process inspection cannot be excluded as a whole; complex electrical repair, design changes, and final release authority must be checked against the specific position, equipment, and effective procedures and are not decided uniformly by the title. The checklist is only for self-questioning and is not a hiring, competency, or production effectiveness score.
Paper-based fictional exercise｜Work order F version V2: dimension 50.00±0.20 millimeters, with both ends counted in the passing range; drawing copy V1 writes ±0.30 and is no longer valid. First-article A/B/C records 49.80/50.21/50.00 millimeters, and patrol D/E are 50.20/49.79; the log sheet copies B as 50.12. The simulated target is 100 pieces, with 60 recorded as inspected and passing, 25 pending inspection, and 15 failing; pending-inspection and failing pieces must not be counted as passing deliveries, and the target shortfall is calculated only from inspected passing pieces. Die M has a crack report pending verification, and notice Q requires production to stop pending the person in charge, with no resumption instruction received. The exercise provides no equipment operating, temperature and pressure, rigging, or repair procedures, and none may be invented. All values and rules are editorially fictional. Task｜Use only pen and paper, a calculator, and the exercise for 90 minutes: perform the V1/V2 version check, judge the dimensions piece by piece and correct the B transcription, calculate the passing delivery shortfall, and list the handover questions for M/Q and the missing procedures. Time allocation: read the exercise 15, versions 10, dimensions 20, quantity 15, exceptions 20, review 10 minutes; do not install dies, start equipment, rig, heat, repair, or actually measure anything.
Median hourly wage 23.57 US dollars / median annual wage 49,030 US dollars (2025, BLS OEWS)
Definition｜United States May2025 national wage; boundary｜the midpoint of the national distribution, not a starting wage or the pay of any one plant.
10th percentile 36,800 US dollars/year (2025, BLS OEWS)
O*NET 51-4022.00 occupation and wage data｜https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-4022.00; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)｜https://www.bls.gov/oes/; O*NET Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders national wages｜https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/51-4022.00
Median hourly wage 23.57 US dollars / median annual wage 49,030 US dollars (2025, BLS OEWS)
| Occupational direction | Entry tasks | Evidence you can prepare | Portfolio work you can show without experience | How it differs from this occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutting and press machine operator | Assistance with shearing and pressing equipment operation, first-article and dimensional inspection assistance, and routine die maintenance assistance | Safety training and equipment operation records | A fictional press first-article and dimensional inspection record | Focuses on cutting and punching and pressing, whereas this occupation focuses on forging and upsetting forming and die installation and removal |
| Extruding and drawing machine operator | Assistance with extruding and drawing equipment operation, and with die-plate and dimensional inspection | Safety training and equipment operation records | A fictional extruding and drawing dimensional and surface inspection record |
Occupational definition｜O*NET-SOC51-4022.00 sets up, operates, or tends forging machines to shape metal or plastic parts; tasks include reading the specified tolerances and process steps on work orders and drawings, setting and adjusting dies and fixtures, running and observing a first article, measuring dimensions, trimming and compressing forgings, and using hoisting equipment to install and remove dies and to repair or replace die parts. The official description also lists maintaining and repairing production tools, so maintenance and repair or in-process inspection cannot be excluded as a whole; complex electrical repair, design changes, and final release authority must be checked against the specific position, equipment, and effective procedures and are not decided uniformly by the title.
Adjacent processes are distinguished by emphasis on forging, cutting and punching, extruding and drawing, rolling, heat treating, and precision cutting, and inspection and maintenance may overlap, with specific authority checked separately.
Paper-based fictional exercise｜Work order F version V2: dimension 50.00±0.20 millimeters, with both ends counted in the passing range; drawing copy V1 writes ±0.30 and is no longer valid. First-article A/B/C records 49.80/50.21/50.00 millimeters, and patrol D/E are 50.20/49.79; the log sheet copies B as 50.12. The simulated target is 100 pieces, with 60 recorded as inspected and passing, 25 pending inspection, and 15 failing; pending-inspection and failing pieces must not be counted as passing deliveries, and the target shortfall is calculated only from inspected passing pieces. Die M has a crack report pending verification, and notice Q requires production to stop pending the person in charge, with no resumption instruction received. The exercise provides no equipment operating, temperature and pressure, rigging, or repair procedures, and none may be invented. All values and rules are editorially fictional. Task｜Use only pen and paper, a calculator, and the exercise for 90 minutes: perform the V1/V2 version check, judge the dimensions piece by piece and correct the B transcription, calculate the passing delivery shortfall, and list the handover questions for M/Q and the missing procedures. Time allocation: read the exercise 15, versions 10, dimensions 20, quantity 15, exceptions 20, review 10 minutes; do not install dies, start equipment, rig, heat, repair, or actually measure anything.
Fit exploration｜99% of respondents chose protective gear every day, 89% continuous use of hands, 87% face-to-face every day, 86% continuous standing, 75% noise every day, and 54% time pressure every day; these are specific option proportions and cannot be used to judge individual competence. Check further against real equipment conditions, training, and paper record habits.
Condition check｜54% of respondents chose a work week of more than 40 hours, 46% very great decision freedom and 26% very little freedom over task priorities, 38% that equipment speed determines pace being extremely important, 23% very high health and safety responsibility, and 27% extremely serious consequences of error; 34% exposure to contaminants is monthly but not weekly, and these proportions are not used to assign an individual health or risk level.
Validation suggestions｜Complete the F/V2 paper items and check A through E, the B correction, 60 passing and a shortfall of 40, the pending M, and the continuing Q suspension; then learn about training and on-site conditions from a real employer. Paper results cannot prove hands-on machine ability.
Occupational definition｜O*NET-SOC51-4022.00 sets up, operates, or tends forging machines to shape metal or plastic parts; tasks include reading the specified tolerances and process steps on work orders and drawings, setting and adjusting dies and fixtures, running and observing a first article, measuring dimensions, trimming and compressing forgings, and using hoisting equipment to install and remove dies and to repair or replace die parts. The official description also lists maintaining and repairing production tools, so maintenance and repair or in-process inspection cannot be excluded as a whole; complex electrical repair, design changes, and final release authority must be checked against the specific position, equipment, and effective procedures and are not decided uniformly by the title.
Work context｜O*NET 51-4022.00 work context shows: the work centers on equipment operation and setup and inspection and die maintenance, with noise, high temperature, heavy objects, and mechanical pinch points as the main environmental features. Protection and noise｜Wearing common protective and safety equipment every day (99%), exposure to distracting noise every day (75%). Posture and motion｜Continuous or almost continuous standing (86%), continuous use of hands to handle, control, or feel objects and tools (89%), and repetitive motions are common. Communication and contact｜Face-to-face discussions with individuals and teams every day (87%), continuous contact with others (48%). Pace and autonomy｜Work pace being determined by equipment speed being extremely important (38%), very little freedom to determine tasks and priorities (26%), fairly great decision-making freedom (46%). Time and workload｜Time pressure every day (54%), a typical work week of more than 40 hours (54%). Precision and consequences｜Precision or accuracy being important (36%), consequences of error being extremely serious (27%). Responsibility and impact｜Very high responsibility for the health and safety of others (23%), decisions having an important impact on the results of coworkers and the unit (49%). Environment and proximity｜Exposure to contaminants monthly but not weekly (34%), indoors in an uncontrolled environment, physical proximity being slightly close (12%).
Environment and pace｜Equipment, die setting, first-article, dimensional, and die maintenance tasks can coexist; the context option proportions do not represent everyone, and standing and noise proportions cannot be used to infer "medium-high" physical effort or daily high temperature. Actual shifts, lifting, equipment environment, and training should be checked with the employer.
Tools and materials｜The official tasks list forging equipment, dies and fixtures, hoisting equipment, hand tools, and dimensional measurement; check effective drawings and work orders, specified tolerances, and setup and maintenance procedures against the actual equipment. The O*NET software list includes only email, machine control, and inventory tracking, and is not expanded into a uniform CNC programming requirement or AI adoption. This page's exercise needs only pen and paper, a calculator, and a timer.
Read work orders and drawings and confirm tolerances → Select, align, and secure dies and fixtures → Press the first article and observe and adjust → Measure, inspect, and handle out-of-tolerance parts → Batch production and patrol and records → Install and remove and maintain and hand over and clean
Quality suggestions｜Check this process's dimensions, first article, and dies according to effective work orders and drawings and equipment procedures and keep the original records; O*NET explicitly includes measuring, trimming, and repairing dies, so operator inspection and maintenance is not denied as a whole. Design changes, complex repairs, rework and scrap, and release are checked against real authorization. This article simulates only version, dimensional, and quantity statuses.
Adjacent responsibility boundaries｜This page covers O*NET-SOC 51-4022.00; adjacent but different occupations include: Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (responsible for cutting, punching, and pressing), Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Machinists (responsible for machining and precision part manufacturing), Tool and Die Makers, and Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers. These occupations differ from this one in forming method and authorization and outputs; this occupation also inspects parts and repairs dies, so inspection and repair are not uniformly assigned to another position by occupational title; design changes, complex repairs, and quality release are checked against actual tasks, equipment, and position authorization.
Exception check｜This page suggests checking equipment, die, dimensional, and record anomalies and the real conditions for stopping, isolating, reporting, and resuming; editorial notes are not treated as effective safety procedures. In the exercise, report M is pending verification, the Q suspension has not resumed, and missing procedures are listed with the pending items and responsible parties, without inventing operating actions.
Confirm the work order → Set up and adjust → Press the first article → Inspect and handle out-of-tolerance parts → Batch patrol → Maintain and hand over
Difference from cutting-punching-and-press-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders-metal-and- plastic (cutting and press machine operators): the latter focus on cutting, punching, and pressing, forming metal or plastic sheet and strip through dies by shearing and forming; this occupation forms blanks into forgings through hot or cold forging steps such as upsetting, flattening, straightening, bending, and punching, and also bears responsibility for die setting, machine adjustment, first articles, and dimensional inspection.
Machinists 51-4041 focus on precision machining; this occupation 51-4022 focuses on forging forming, inspection, and die maintenance, and the tasks may overlap, so no activity can be uniformly excluded or authority uniformly assigned.
Core differences from adjacent occupations｜Among the metal and plastic forming positions, responsibility boundaries lie in the forming method and authorization and outputs: cutting and press machine operators handle cutting, punching, and pressing; extruding and drawing machine operators handle extruding and drawing forming; rolling machine operators handle rolling forming; heat treating equipment operators handle heating and quenching and tempering; machinists handle machining and precision part manufacturing; tool and die makers handle die design and manufacturing; inspectors and testers handle physical, chemical, and dimensional inspection decisions. This occupation bears the execution and record responsibility for forging equipment setup and operation and first articles and dimensions and die installation, removal, and upkeep; this occupation also inspects parts and repairs dies, so inspection and repair are not uniformly assigned to another position by occupational title; design changes, complex repairs, and quality release are checked against actual tasks, equipment, and position authorization.
Comparison boundary｜Heat treating 51-4191 focuses on heat treatment and inspection 51-9061 on inspection records; this occupation 51-4022 also measures and checks parts and maintains dies, so it cannot be said that final decisions always belong to another position. Actual quality sign-off and repair authority are checked with the employer.
Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese recruitment, licensing, and training lists were not verified; selection check｜Look at the specific work orders, equipment and shifts, noise and standing conditions, and the share of first-article inspection and maintenance, and check effective training and position authorization. The United States BLS dedicated row lists the typical entry as a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience required, and medium-term on-the-job training; the O*NET82%/12%/4% are respondents' answers about whether new hires need high school, some college without a degree, or less than high school, not the actual educational distribution. Zone1—2/SVP<6 and several days to one year are a level overview, not everyone's training duration. Actual positions and jurisdictions must be checked separately, and no uniform rule is invented.
Authority boundary｜This occupation has die setup, dimensional inspection, trimming, and die repair tasks; specific process design, complex electrical repair, rework and scrap, line stoppage, and release authority depend on the actual position, and neither all inspection and repair is uniformly excluded nor authority uniformly granted.
Insufficient evidence: no generative AI exposure score, enterprise adoption rate, or employment causal material precisely for 51-4022 was obtained, and no medium-low or short-term non-replacement conclusion is given. The editorial candidates are work order search, record checking, and report drafts; email, machine control, and inventory software do not equal generative AI. On-site setup, observation, inspection, and exception handling are checked against effective procedures and specific authorization, and tool text is not treated as the real situation or as a release.
Occupational definition｜O*NET-SOC51-4022.00 sets up, operates, or tends forging machines to shape metal or plastic parts; tasks include reading the specified tolerances and process steps on work orders and drawings, setting and adjusting dies and fixtures, running and observing a first article, measuring dimensions, trimming and compressing forgings, and using hoisting equipment to install and remove dies and to repair or replace die parts. The official description also lists maintaining and repairing production tools, so maintenance and repair or in-process inspection cannot be excluded as a whole; complex electrical repair, design changes, and final release authority must be checked against the specific position, equipment, and effective procedures and are not decided uniformly by the title.
Data and system thresholds｜Before adoption, verify: whether work order and drawing and first-article and patrol data can be traced back to equipment and die and person and time; whether equipment parameters and die numbers and batches and dimensional data use consistent definitions; the permissions and retention periods for drawing and process and quality data; data consistency and audit trails with production, quality, and equipment systems; and whether offline work can continue and original records be retained during network outages or system failures.
Human control points and manual review｜Equipment setup and first-article pressing and observation judgment, die installation and removal and upkeep and regrinding, dimensional inspection and out-of-tolerance handling, on-site safety and rigging and shutdown decisions, and batch quality and equipment anomaly judgment must be completed by operators and crews and the equipment lead; any tool-generated process parameters and statistics and reports must be checked by a human and leave a trail before use.
Residual responsibility｜Matters that must not be released automatically: whether equipment and die condition allow safe operation, whether the first article and dimensions pass, how out-of-tolerance parts and rework and scrap are handled, whether process and parameter changes are compliant, and decisions involving shutdown and isolation and reporting. No tool output equals a quality judgment or a safety release decision.
Failure risk｜If tool output is not reviewed, it may lead to parameter and process errors, die and equipment damage, batch dimensional deviation, and distorted production and quality records, causing equipment, personal, quality, and cost consequences. Before rollout, clarify who reviews and against what drawings and procedures and on-site observation.
Employment evidence boundary｜Employment and wage data for this occupation must be distinguished by definition: the United States figures from O*NET and BLS are estimates under a specific statistical definition and cannot be directly extrapolated to mainland China or other regions; China uses the industry-category average wage as a background proxy, which does not constitute an occupational wage conclusion. Everything generated should be traceable to original inputs and sources, and fluent wording must not be treated as correct evidence.
Practice exploration｜Practice index and error correction with fictional work orders, drawings, patrol sheets, and reports; real parameters, die life, and maintenance reminders are not automatically low risk, and reversibility does not mean permission to use. On-site setup and inspection and stopping and resuming are checked against effective procedures and actual authority.
Cross-market boundary｜NBS publishes average annual wages by Chinese industry category, while OEWS gives United States occupational wages; the object, period, coverage, and units differ, and Chinese occupational wages are not inferred from exchange rates or industry averages.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status.
Mainland China wage evidence review points｜This page provides only statistical definitions, industry background proxies, and a register of visible gaps; it does not provide an estimated salary for this occupation. Before using any value, first confirm whether its statistical definition (industry category / occupation), statistical period, unit of measurement, and covered population are comparable to this occupation.
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status.
Mainland China wage evidence — statistical period｜The industry average wage is an annual figure (the values below are for 2025, released in 2026) and differs from the United States 2025 point-in-time wage on this page; the two periods cannot be mixed.
Cross-market definition boundary｜Mainland China's industry average wage and the United States' occupational wage differ in statistical object, period, and definition; this page lists them separately with limitations noted, makes no currency conversion, and does not treat the industry average as an occupational wage.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status.
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
Period｜Wages are May2025, the EP base period is 2025 with an endpoint of 2035, and average annual openings belong to the whole projection; point-in-time wages, base-period employment, and hiring numbers are not mixed.
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
Occupational scope｜This page covers 51-4022; cutting and punching presses 51-4031, extruding and drawing 51-4021, rolling 51-4023, heat treating 51-4191, machinists 51-4041, tool and die 51-4111, and inspection 51-9061 are checked separately and wages are not mixed.
Normal May2025Profiles has verified the national median and the medians of four specific industries; the dedicated 2025—2035 employment is 8.9 to 7.4 thousand, a change of -17.2%, a net decrease of 1.5 thousand, and average annual openings of .6 thousand, including replacement rather than new positions, and is not AI causation.
Conclusion｜The core difference between this occupation and adjacent occupations lies in the forming method and authorization and outputs: this occupation bears the execution and record responsibility for forging equipment setup and operation and first articles and dimensions and die installation, removal, and upkeep; cutting and press machine operators handle cutting, punching, and pressing; extruding and drawing machine operators handle extruding and drawing forming; rolling machine operators handle rolling forming; heat treating equipment operators handle heating and quenching and tempering; machinists handle machining and precision part manufacturing; tool and die makers handle die design and manufacturing. Authorization and outputs differ in each case, so judgment and sign-off authority cannot be carried across positions.
Comparison note｜The comparison is an editorial direction comparison by forming method and main outputs, and tasks may overlap; it does not constitute a hiring, qualification, pay, or role-change difficulty judgment, and adjacent occupations are not inferred from this occupation's wages.
Preface｜The following comparison is laid out in four columns: occupational direction — core work and outputs — key differences — who it suits better. These metal and plastic forming positions are often sequenced by process, but sequencing does not mean they are interchangeable; when moving across directions, procedures, drawings, and safety and qualification requirements must be relearned.
Outputs are forging equipment setup and operation and first articles and dimensions and die installation, removal, and upkeep: reading drawings and setup and machine adjustment, pressing the first article and observation and patrol, dimensional inspection and out-of-tolerance handling, die installation and removal and upkeep and regrinding, and equipment and site cleaning and safety maintenance.
Better suited to people who are willing to operate and adjust machines in the workshop according to procedures, can bear responsibility for first articles and dimensions and equipment and rigging safety, and accept a pace determined by equipment speed.
Outputs are qualified forgings and traceable records: first-article and patrol and dimensional inspection records, die setting and machine adjustment and parameter records, and die installation and removal and upkeep and exception records.
This occupation: Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Outputs are die and equipment operation and first articles for cutting, punching, and pressing: reading drawings and die setting and machine adjustment, shearing and pressing and forming, dimensional and appearance checking and out-of-tolerance handling, and routine die and equipment maintenance.
Better suited to people who focus on shearing and pressing sheet and strip; this occupation focuses on forging forming such as upsetting and flattening and straightening and bending.
Outputs are sheared and pressed parts and records: first-article and patrol and dimensional records, and die and equipment maintenance records.
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Outputs are extruding and drawing forming equipment operation and die and die-plate maintenance: die setting and machine adjustment, extruding and drawing and pulling, dimensional and surface checking and out-of-tolerance handling, and die-plate and equipment maintenance.
Better suited to people who focus on continuous extruding or drawing forming of profiles and wire; this occupation focuses on forgings formed by forging and upsetting.
Outputs are extruded and drawn parts and records: first-article and patrol and dimensional and surface records, and die-plate and equipment maintenance records.
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Outputs are rolling forming equipment operation and roll train adjustment: roll installation and machine adjustment, rolling and reduction and tension control, dimensional and shape checking, and roll train and equipment maintenance.
Better suited to people who focus on continuous production of rolled plate and profiles and wire; this occupation focuses on single-piece or batch forging forming.
Outputs are rolled parts and records: dimensional and shape and surface records, and roll train and equipment maintenance records.
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Outputs are heating and quenching and tempering equipment operation and process records: charging the furnace and heating and holding, quenching and tempering and cooling, hardness and metallographic and appearance checking, and furnace and tooling maintenance.
Better suited to people who focus on heat treatment processes and furnace batch management; this occupation focuses on forging forming and coordinates with heat treatment between process steps.
Outputs are heat treated parts and process records: furnace batch and temperature and time and cooling records, and hardness and appearance inspection records.
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Outputs are machining and precision part manufacturing and equipment setup: reading drawings and processes, turning and milling and drilling and grinding and setup and alignment, dimensional and geometric inspection, and machine and tool and fixture maintenance.
Exploration suggestions｜Precision machining and machine preparation can be checked; this occupation emphasizes forging; work may overlap, and actual training and task assignment are checked separately.
Outputs are precision parts and inspection records: part dimensional and geometric and surface records, and machine and tool and fixture maintenance records.
Exploration suggestions｜Compare the forming method and output emphasis and check real work orders, equipment, shifts, training, and authority; similar tasks do not guarantee a role change, and paper items do not validate on-site ability.
Apprentice and operational assistance stage
Use tools in reversible assistance steps: work order and drawing search, output and patrol data logging, and material and die number checking; setup and first articles and inspection are subject to verification by the mentor and crew.
Equipment operation position
Use digital tools for parameter and first-article and patrol data records, die and tool life and maintenance reminders, and production and quality reports; setup and first-article judgment and dimensional inspection are still completed by the individual.
Multi-machine and machine adjustment position
Use tools for process parameter and process step and takt analysis and statistics, and die and equipment maintenance plans and exception summaries; process changes and equipment adjustment judgment are made by the individual and the equipment lead.
Crew leader and equipment lead
Use tools for production and quality data analysis and training and archive management; conclusions about shutdown and rework and scrap and process and safety must be approved by a human with a trail left.
Insufficient evidence: no generative AI exposure score, enterprise adoption rate, or employment causal material precisely for 51-4022 was obtained, and no medium-low or short-term non-replacement conclusion is given. The editorial candidates are work order search, record checking, and report drafts; email, machine control, and inventory software do not equal generative AI. On-site setup, observation, inspection, and exception handling are checked against effective procedures and specific authorization, and tool text is not treated as the real situation or as a release.
O*NET 51-4022.00 detailed profile (tasks and work activities)
Used to define this occupation's task scope and work context; it is a United States occupational classification definition and does not cover mainland China's occupational divisions.
BLS occupational employment projections 2025—2035
BLS51-4022 current dedicated projections: about 8,900 people in 2025 and about 7,400 in 2035, a change of -17.2% and a ten-year net decrease of about 1,500; average annual openings of about 600 over 2025—2035, including growth and replacement, not 600 new positions or actual hiring numbers. The table unit is thousands; the self-employed column "—" is not 0, EP coverage includes the self-employed, and it differs from the OEWS wage survey. The O*NET summary still shows the old 2024—2034, while this article uses the updated BLS table.
BLS OEWS wage statistics (2025)
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
ILO research on the future of work and generative AI task exposure
ILO2025WP140 uses task surveys and expert and model estimates of the global potential exposure of ISCO08, not manufacturing process shares, adoption efficiency for this SOC, or employment causation; the original feature entry point is not the full paper.
NIST Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0)
Used for general principles of governance and risk control; it is not an equipment safety and quality or occupational health standard.
O*NET 51-4022.00 occupational scope
Used to define the occupational boundary (setting up and operating or tending forging machines); used for classification checks.
Used to understand this occupation's interest codes and preference directions; interest data does not constitute a hiring or fit conclusion.
Difference preface｜The comparison below places adjacent positions side by side by what AI mainly changes and what humans remain responsible for. The conclusion is consistent: record and retrieval and statistics steps can be enhanced by tools; equipment setup and first-article pressing and observation judgment, die installation and removal and upkeep and regrinding, dimensional inspection and out-of-tolerance handling, and on-site safety and rigging and shutdown decisions always remain the responsibility of operators and crews and the equipment lead. Technical feasibility, institutional adoption, and job outcomes must be judged separately.
Work order and drawing search and record checking can serve as editorial exploration candidates; no acceleration effect for this occupation has been verified.
Equipment setup and first-article pressing and observation judgment
Parameter and patrol data statistics, and die and tool life and maintenance reminders, can be assisted by tools
Die installation and removal and upkeep and regrinding, and dimensional inspection and out-of-tolerance handling
Production and quality reports and exception summaries, and training and operating procedure materials, can be generated by tools
On-site safety and rigging and shutdown and isolation decisions, and rework and scrap decisions
Evidence preface｜Citation rules: cite only sources that can support the claims on this page; state the jurisdiction, period, and statistical scope; general research focused on broad occupational groups must not be used to infer changes in this occupation's individual jobs; a technology list does not mean it has been adopted; sources cannot replace operators' on-site judgment about equipment and dies and dimensions and safety.
Occupational-level description, not an automated risk assessment
O*NET 51-4022.00 detailed profile
O*NET lists on-site tasks and context but gives no task time share or generative AI score.
O*NET describes on-site tasks and cannot be used to prove that AI is hard to replace or a replacement rate; the assistance candidates are editorial analysis.
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
A point-in-time sample estimate of United States wages
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
Must not be extrapolated to a specific enterprise's or individual's job outcomes
ILO2025 research on the potential exposure of occupational tasks to generative AI
Global ISCO08 task potential exposure, not manufacturing process or adoption results for this SOC.
Task exposure only shows a task can be reached by technology; it does not equal job loss
Not an equipment safety and quality or occupational health standard
General AI risk governance framework
Adopting digital tools requires clear responsibility assignment, data, and fallback plans
Projections are not actual hiring numbers; the scale is small
BLS employment projections method notes
Projections include growth and replacement needs
BLS51-4022 current dedicated projections: about 8,900 people in 2025 and about 7,400 in 2035, a change of -17.2% and a ten-year net decrease of about 1,500; average annual openings of about 600 over 2025—2035, including growth and replacement, not 600 new positions or actual hiring numbers. The table unit is thousands; the self-employed column "—" is not 0, EP coverage includes the self-employed, and it differs from the OEWS wage survey. The O*NET summary still shows the old 2024—2034, while this article uses the updated BLS table.
Technically feasible: a task could technically be reached by a tool; this is only a feasibility judgment and does not mean use is permitted or that an enterprise has adopted it.
Institutional adoption: whether to introduce it depends on the enterprise's workshop and equipment and safety and quality procedures; equipment and quality and safety responsibility cannot be transferred by introducing a tool.
This page did not obtain causal research on AI increasing or decreasing jobs; investment and order factors are checked separately, and job outcomes are not inferred from technical demonstrations.
Insufficient evidence: no generative AI exposure score, enterprise adoption rate, or employment causal material precisely for 51-4022 was obtained, and no medium-low or short-term non-replacement conclusion is given. The editorial candidates are work order search, record checking, and report drafts; email, machine control, and inventory software do not equal generative AI. On-site setup, observation, inspection, and exception handling are checked against effective procedures and specific authorization, and tool text is not treated as the real situation or as a release.
O*NET occupational tasks and boundaries
Programming threshold｜The O*NET software list is email, machine control, and inventory tracking and does not prove a uniform programming requirement. Whether specific equipment requires script or controller skills depends on the position, and this page only does paper calculations.
Insufficient evidence: a precise task exposure ranking was not verified; the editorial candidates are work order search, record checking, and report drafts, without saying "easiest" or treating equipment control software as generative AI.
O*NET tasks; the ranking is an unverified boundary
BLS51-4022 current dedicated projections: about 8,900 people in 2025 and about 7,400 in 2035, a change of -17.2% and a ten-year net decrease of about 1,500; average annual openings of about 600 over 2025—2035, including growth and replacement, not 600 new positions or actual hiring numbers. The table unit is thousands; the self-employed column "—" is not 0, EP coverage includes the self-employed, and it differs from the OEWS wage survey. The O*NET summary still shows the old 2024—2034, while this article uses the updated BLS table. A projected decline does not equal AI replacement that has already occurred.
BLS2025—2035 dedicated projections
Authority｜Tool text does not create contract signing or payment authority, and actual personnel and institutional authorization are checked separately; NIST is general risk governance, not payment authorization law.
NIST general governance, not payment authority
Insufficient evidence: this round has no evidence of a job disappearance year; the 2035 projection still at about 7400 people does not prove that it will disappear afterwards or never disappear.
BLS projections do not indicate a disappearance year
Study suggestions｜First read effective work orders, tolerances, and versions and practice paper dimensions, record error correction, and quantity statuses; equipment setup, lifting, and repair require real training and authorization and are not performed on machines on this page.
O*NET tasks and editorial learning suggestions
Responsibility preface｜Efficiency can be outsourced to tools, but judgment and consequences cannot. The following five steps are the human responsibility points that must be preserved before and after adopting any digital tool.
Equipment and die condition: whether equipment and dies and tooling can run safely and whether maintenance or replacement is needed are judged by operators and the equipment lead after on-site checking; tools do not judge the real situation.
First article and setup: whether the first article's dimensions and appearance pass and whether the setup meets the drawing and process must be determined by the operator after pressing and inspecting.
Safety check｜On-site machinery, high temperature, and rigging anomalies are handled according to effective equipment procedures, safety training, and authorized personnel; this article does not uniformly instruct power-down, pressure-release, or isolation actions. For direct danger, secure safety first and call and report.
Quality and records: first-article and patrol and dimensional and out-of-tolerance records must be true and complete, drawing and process and quality data must be limited to their purpose, and tools must not be used to generate unverified records.
Emergency and authority｜For direct danger and injury, secure safety first, call for help, and report, without waiting for crew confirmation before stopping dangerous activity or requesting help; the stopping method and energy isolation are handled by trained and authorized personnel according to effective procedures, and rework and scrap and change resumption and release are checked separately with a trail left.
Parameter or statistical errors can damage dies and equipment and cause batch deviation
Must be checked on site with a trail left before production and release, and the reviewer must be specified
Distorted setup and dimensional judgment affect quality and cost and safety
First-article and dimensional inspection must be done by humans; tools only provide record and statistical forms
Enterprise and customer information may leak or be misused
Limit purpose and retention period; do not upload sensitive materials to external services
Distorted quality and equipment records affect traceability and the definition of responsibility
Records must reflect the real process and basis; generating unverified content is prohibited
When an equipment or personal or batch quality accident occurs, responsibility cannot be defined
Before adopting a tool, specify the responsible persons for review and release and handling and leave a trail
Setup and machine adjustment are done by humans
Drawing reading and setup and machine adjustment
Drawing and process search can assist; setup is done by humans
Editorial task note｜Read work orders and drawings and select, align, and secure dies and fixtures; this is not observed AI adoption or effect data.
Observation and first-article judgment are done by humans
Equipment operation and first article
Parameter logging tools can assist; judgment is done by humans
Editorial task note｜Start the equipment to press the first article and observe operation and judge the setup; this is not observed AI adoption or effect data.
Inspection and handling are done by humans
Dimensional inspection and out-of-tolerance parts
Data logging and statistics can assist; judgment is done by humans
Editorial task note｜Measure and inspect forging dimensions and handle out-of-tolerance parts and trimming and straightening; this is not observed AI adoption or effect data.
Installation and removal and upkeep are done by humans
Die installation and removal and upkeep
Life and maintenance reminders can assist; hands-on work is done by humans
Editorial task note｜Use cranes and hand tools to install and remove dies and to maintain and replace parts; this is not observed AI adoption or effect data.
On-site maintenance and safety are done by humans
Equipment and site maintenance
Inspection logging tools can assist; checking is done by humans
Editorial task note｜Clean, tighten, and lubricate equipment and the site and keep the site safe; this is not observed AI adoption or effect data.
Communication and records are done by humans
Coordination and records and handover
Report and ledger tools can assist; truthfulness is the responsibility of humans
Editorial task note｜Communicate with the preceding and following processes and record truthfully and hand over; this is not observed AI adoption or effect data.
Shutdown decisions and handling are the responsibility of humans
Exception and shutdown handling
Alarms and monitoring can assist; shutdown is decided by humans
Editorial task note｜Stop, isolate, and report when a fault or crack or hazard is found; this is not observed AI adoption or effect data.
Editorial summary｜Record, retrieval, and report assistance can be explored, but this round did not measure time savings. The real equipment, die, first-article, and dimensional situations must be verified, and anomaly reports, resumption, and release must follow real procedures and authorization and cannot be replaced by text output.
Definition｜United States May2025 national wage; boundary｜the national 10th percentile, which does not indicate newcomers or less overtime.
25th percentile 42,440 US dollars/year (2025, BLS OEWS)
Definition｜United States May2025 national wage; boundary｜the national 25th percentile, which does not indicate specific seniority or position.
75th percentile 60,130 US dollars/year (2025, BLS OEWS)
Definition｜United States May2025 national wage; boundary｜the national 75th percentile, which does not indicate machine adjusters or senior staff.
90th percentile 68,720 US dollars/year (2025, BLS OEWS)
Definition｜United States May2025 national wage; boundary｜the national 90th percentile, and 68,720÷36,800 is about 1.867, or 1.9 times, which gives no attainability or cause of difference.
Employment about 8,900 (2025, BLS EP51-4022)
Definition｜EP base-period employment, including the self-employed; boundary｜the self-employed column "—" is not 0 and is not the OEWS count or hiring.
Employment change -17.2% (2025—2035, BLS EP51-4022)
Definition｜Ten-year projected change; boundary｜8.9 thousand to 7.4 thousand, a net decrease of about 1.5 thousand, not AI causation.
Average annual openings about 600 (2025—2035, BLS EP51-4022)
Definition｜Average annual growth and replacement openings over the whole projection; boundary｜not a ten-year net increase, actual hiring, or a guarantee of personal opportunity.
Insufficient evidence: no generative AI exposure score, enterprise adoption rate, or employment causal material precisely for 51-4022 was obtained, and no medium-low or short-term non-replacement conclusion is given. The editorial candidates are work order search, record checking, and report drafts; email, machine control, and inventory software do not equal generative AI. On-site setup, observation, inspection, and exception handling are checked against effective procedures and specific authorization, and tool text is not treated as the real situation or as a release.
Occupational definition｜O*NET-SOC51-4022.00 sets up, operates, or tends forging machines to shape metal or plastic parts; tasks include reading the specified tolerances and process steps on work orders and drawings, setting and adjusting dies and fixtures, running and observing a first article, measuring dimensions, trimming and compressing forgings, and using hoisting equipment to install and remove dies and to repair or replace die parts. The official description also lists maintaining and repairing production tools, so maintenance and repair or in-process inspection cannot be excluded as a whole; complex electrical repair, design changes, and final release authority must be checked against the specific position, equipment, and effective procedures and are not decided uniformly by the title.
Junior high school or incomplete high school
Editorial exploration｜Specific position conditions are pending verification and this is not a mapping of Chinese recruitment education.
Insufficient evidence: the positions, employer preferences, and pay corresponding to this preparation background in China were not sampled; drawing, tolerance, equipment, and die learning requirements can be checked, and education is not inferred to guarantee employment.
High school diploma or equivalent
Editorial exploration｜Specific position conditions are pending verification and this is not a mapping of Chinese recruitment education.
Insufficient evidence: the positions, employer preferences, and pay corresponding to this preparation background in China were not sampled; drawing, tolerance, equipment, and die learning requirements can be checked, and education is not inferred to guarantee employment.
Secondary vocational or technical school (mechanical or die related)
Editorial exploration｜Specific position conditions are pending verification and this is not a mapping of Chinese recruitment education.
Insufficient evidence: the positions, employer preferences, and pay corresponding to this preparation background in China were not sampled; drawing, tolerance, equipment, and die learning requirements can be checked, and education is not inferred to guarantee employment.
Junior college or above or advanced skill level
Editorial exploration｜Specific position conditions are pending verification and this is not a mapping of Chinese recruitment education.
Insufficient evidence: the positions, employer preferences, and pay corresponding to this preparation background in China were not sampled; drawing, tolerance, equipment, and die learning requirements can be checked, and education is not inferred to guarantee employment.
Automotive and machinery and hardware and fastener manufacturing
Editorial exploration｜The actual forging tasks, equipment, and qualifications of that direction can be checked further; there is no current Chinese recruitment sample, so main employers or demand are not inferred.
Aviation parts and precision forging specialist plants
Editorial exploration｜The actual forging tasks, equipment, and qualifications of that direction can be checked further; there is no current Chinese recruitment sample, so main employers or demand are not inferred.
Die and tooling and equipment repair services
Editorial exploration｜The actual forging tasks, equipment, and qualifications of that direction can be checked further; there is no current Chinese recruitment sample, so main employers or demand are not inferred.
National Bureau of Statistics: average wages of urban unit employees (statistical release index)｜https://www.stats.gov.cn/xxgk/sjfb/zxfb2020/
Name boundary｜The fixed Chinese index term is forging worker, and United States classification 51-4022 covers installing, operating, and tending forging machines; this is not a verified Chinese occupational classification or alias table.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status. United States wages are May2025 with EP2025—2035, and the industries and occupations and jurisdictions differ.
National Bureau of Statistics: explanatory notes on the statistical definition of average wages of urban unit employees｜https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status.
First-tier cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen)
Insufficient evidence: no city- or region-verifiable monthly pay data for this occupation was obtained for mainland China; recruitment quotes, industry averages, or secondhand accounts are not used as a fill-in.
Other provincial capitals and regional central cities
Insufficient evidence: no city- or region-verifiable monthly pay data for this occupation was obtained for mainland China; recruitment quotes, industry averages, or secondhand accounts are not used as a fill-in.
Counties and lower-tier markets
Insufficient evidence: no city- or region-verifiable monthly pay data for this occupation was obtained for mainland China; recruitment quotes, industry averages, or secondhand accounts are not used as a fill-in.
Insufficient evidence: verifiable source text for the corresponding Chinese occupational classification and alias mapping was not obtained this round; the United States 51-4022.00 scope has been verified, and no one-to-one occupational mapping is made from industry categories.
United States BLS and O*NET statistical notes｜https://www.bls.gov/oes/
Employment change -17.2% (2025—2035, BLS EP51-4022)
Median hourly wage 23.57 US dollars / median annual wage 49,030 US dollars (2025, BLS OEWS)
Definition｜United States May2025 national wage; boundary｜the midpoint of the national distribution, not a starting wage or the pay of any one plant.
10th percentile 36,800 US dollars/year (2025, BLS OEWS)
Definition｜United States May2025 national wage; boundary｜the national 10th percentile, which does not indicate newcomers or less overtime.
25th percentile 42,440 US dollars/year (2025, BLS OEWS)
Definition｜United States May2025 national wage; boundary｜the national 25th percentile, which does not indicate specific seniority or position.
75th percentile 60,130 US dollars/year (2025, BLS OEWS)
Definition｜United States May2025 national wage; boundary｜the national 75th percentile, which does not indicate machine adjusters or senior staff.
90th percentile 68,720 US dollars/year (2025, BLS OEWS)
Definition｜United States May2025 national wage; boundary｜the national 90th percentile, and 68,720÷36,800 is about 1.867, or 1.9 times, which gives no attainability or cause of difference.
Employment about 8,900 (2025, BLS EP51-4022)
Definition｜EP base-period employment, including the self-employed; boundary｜the self-employed column "—" is not 0 and is not the OEWS count or hiring.
Employment change -17.2% (2025—2035, BLS EP51-4022)
Definition｜Ten-year projected change; boundary｜8.9 thousand to 7.4 thousand, a net decrease of about 1.5 thousand, not AI causation.
Average annual openings about 600 (2025—2035, BLS EP51-4022)
Definition｜Average annual growth and replacement openings over the whole projection; boundary｜not a ten-year net increase, actual hiring, or a guarantee of personal opportunity.
Normal profiles have verified May2025 employees 8930/RSE5.9%, mean annual 51680, median 49030, and all percentiles; the EP8900 employment figure is another program. The medians of the four specific industries have been verified, with no extrapolation to an individual's actual annual take-home pay and no splicing by broad labels.
The United States May2025 national median hourly wage is 23.57 and the annual wage 49,030 US dollars, with quintiles of 36,800/42,440/49,030/60,130/68,720 US dollars per year and a top-to-bottom decile ratio of about 1.9 times. The distribution cannot prove that enterprise, region, skill, or shift causes the differences, and the median is not a starting wage. OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commis- sions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
Distribution boundary｜That percentile or median does not identify seniority, precision forging, region, or overtime groups, nor can it be used to infer these conditions' causal effect on income or a newcomer's position; when job hunting, check the actual position, region, normal hours, and overtime structure separately.
Enterprise and position type
Distribution boundary｜That percentile or median does not identify seniority, precision forging, region, or overtime groups, nor can it be used to infer these conditions' causal effect on income or a newcomer's position; when job hunting, check the actual position, region, normal hours, and overtime structure separately.
Region and cost of living
Distribution boundary｜That percentile or median does not identify seniority, precision forging, region, or overtime groups, nor can it be used to infer these conditions' causal effect on income or a newcomer's position; when job hunting, check the actual position, region, normal hours, and overtime structure separately.
Shift and skill and seniority
Employment change -17.2% (2025—2035, BLS EP51-4022)
Federal executive branch (OEWS designation)
69,170 US dollars/year
May2025 within-occupation SOC51-4022 annual wage median in that industry, not the wage of all workers in the industry, a starting wage, an employer size ranking, or a cause of difference.
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing
63,370 US dollars/year
May2025 within-occupation SOC51-4022 annual wage median in that industry, not the wage of all workers in the industry, a starting wage, an employer size ranking, or a cause of difference.
Nonferrous metal production and processing (excluding aluminum)
62,050 US dollars/year
May2025 within-occupation SOC51-4022 annual wage median in that industry, not the wage of all workers in the industry, a starting wage, an employer size ranking, or a cause of difference.
Aerospace product and parts manufacturing
60,130 US dollars/year
May2025 within-occupation SOC51-4022 annual wage median in that industry, not the wage of all workers in the industry, a starting wage, an employer size ranking, or a cause of difference.
Distribution boundary｜That percentile or median does not identify seniority, precision forging, region, or overtime groups, nor can it be used to infer these conditions' causal effect on income or a newcomer's position; when job hunting, check the actual position, region, normal hours, and overtime structure separately.
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
Distribution boundary｜That percentile or median does not identify seniority, precision forging, region, or overtime groups, nor can it be used to infer these conditions' causal effect on income or a newcomer's position; when job hunting, check the actual position, region, normal hours, and overtime structure separately.
Use suggestions: look at the median, percentile, and employment figures together, and check them against local enterprise types and shift and overtime structure; do not infer an individual's pay from a single number.
Median hourly wage 23.57 US dollars / median annual wage 49,030 US dollars (2025, BLS OEWS)
Distribution boundary｜That percentile or median does not identify seniority, precision forging, region, or overtime groups, nor can it be used to infer these conditions' causal effect on income or a newcomer's position; when job hunting, check the actual position, region, normal hours, and overtime structure separately.
Distribution boundary｜That percentile or median does not identify seniority, precision forging, region, or overtime groups, nor can it be used to infer these conditions' causal effect on income or a newcomer's position; when job hunting, check the actual position, region, normal hours, and overtime structure separately.
Distribution boundary｜That percentile or median does not identify seniority, precision forging, region, or overtime groups, nor can it be used to infer these conditions' causal effect on income or a newcomer's position; when job hunting, check the actual position, region, normal hours, and overtime structure separately.
Holland (RIASEC)｜Used to understand your relative position on realistic and conventional preferences. The O*NET interest code for this occupation is RC (Realistic—Conventional), corresponding to operating equipment and hands-on manufacturing, and to working by procedure and standards and records. The questionnaire is only for raising questions, not for judging whether you are suited or able to take the job.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no occupation-specific validity study of this assessment for hiring or performance in 51-4022 and assigns no medium or lower evidence level. The official RC interest and self-reflection do not constitute a competence prediction.
If you clearly resist long-term work in noise and high temperature and heavy objects and mechanical pinch point environments, or are uncomfortable with first-article and dimensional and safety procedure and record responsibility, a high interest questionnaire score cannot change that real cost.
Big Five exploration｜The questionnaire can be used to reflect on checking and record habits, but the validity of conscientiousness or emotional stability for performance in this occupation was not verified, so it is not said that one personality is more easily competent.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no occupation-specific validity study of this assessment for hiring or performance in 51-4022 and assigns no medium or lower evidence level. The official RC interest and self-reflection do not constitute a competence prediction.
Do not use "a personality test says I'm not suited" as a reason to give up or not enter the field; base this on workshop internships and operation and assessment.
How to read this interest code: RC means a combination of Realistic (operating equipment and hands-on manufacturing and repair) and Conventional (working by procedure and standards and records); it is used to understand task preferences, not to predict performance.
MBTI｜Typology is used for self-reflection on communication and work preferences; this occupation requires communicating according to procedures with the same shift, the preceding and following processes, the crew, and maintenance, and preference does not determine competence.
Interest experience: enjoying adjusting equipment and dies properly in the workshop and getting forgings to pass dimensional checks, and gaining satisfaction from hands-on work and meeting quality standards.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no occupation-specific validity study of this assessment for hiring or performance in 51-4022 and assigns no medium or lower evidence level. The official RC interest and self-reflection do not constitute a competence prediction.
Realistic—Conventional
Treat the type only as a reference for communication style, and do not use it to infer whether you or others can do setup and inspection work well.
Enneagram｜Used to observe your own reactions under pressure; when equipment fails or a die cracks or a person is endangered, whether you first stop, isolate, and report according to procedures matters more than a type label.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no occupation-specific validity study of this assessment for hiring or performance in 51-4022 and assigns no medium or lower evidence level. The official RC interest and self-reflection do not constitute a competence prediction.
Do not use type labels to explain setup or quality or equipment errors; go back to whether drawings, processes, dies, and inspection were in place.
Reasoning exploration｜You can ask yourself about tolerances, drawing reading, and record checking, and observe hands-on skills through training and assessment; there is no validation of which ability this occupation relies on more than an intelligence questionnaire.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no occupation-specific validity study of this assessment for hiring or performance in 51-4022 and assigns no medium or lower evidence level. The official RC interest and self-reflection do not constitute a competence prediction.
A high or low score cannot show whether you can learn setup and inspection work; this should be tested through workshop internships and hands-on assessment.
Emotion exploration｜You can observe how anomaly dispute communication keeps to the facts and procedures; there is no evidence that an emotional assessment score predicts quality, safety, or delivery.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no occupation-specific validity study of this assessment for hiring or performance in 51-4022 and assigns no medium or lower evidence level. The official RC interest and self-reflection do not constitute a competence prediction.
Learning questions can be raised from collaboration situations and feedback, but unverified deliberate practice cannot be claimed to improve emotional ability or performance.
Boundary｜The assessments and direction comparisons on this page are only for self-questioning and exploration and do not constitute hiring criteria, competency scores, qualification judgments, or an evaluation of forging production effectiveness; entry is governed by enterprise recruitment conditions, education and skills training and experience and assessment, and by the local requirements for enterprise equipment safety and special operations and occupational health.
Validation suggestions｜First do the F/V2 paper items and review 49.80—50.20, the B transcription correction, 60 passing and a shortfall of 40, and the M/Q handover; this observes task reading, calculation, and trail keeping and cannot validate equipment setup or on-site safety ability. For real experience, check training and authorization separately.
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders (this occupation)｜The exploration emphasis is forging setup and operation, first-article dimensional inspection, and die maintenance; the inspection and maintenance tasks of forging may overlap, and actual task assignment is checked separately.
Preparation suggestions｜Effective work orders and specified tolerances, and original inspection and die records, can be checked; these are not skills already held or a hiring threshold.
Selection boundary｜Actual equipment, authority, and training are checked separately; overlapping tasks do not prove role-change difficulty, and paper items cannot replace on-site operation.
Cutting and press machine operators｜The exploration emphasis is cutting, punching, and pressing equipment operation; the inspection and maintenance tasks of forging may overlap, and actual task assignment is checked separately.
Preparation suggestions｜Shearing work orders, die setup, and dimensional records can be checked; these are not skills already held or a hiring threshold.
Selection boundary｜Actual equipment, authority, and training are checked separately; overlapping tasks do not prove role-change difficulty, and paper items cannot replace on-site operation.
Extruding and drawing machine operators｜The exploration emphasis is extruding and drawing equipment and continuous forming processes; the inspection and maintenance tasks of forging may overlap, and actual task assignment is checked separately.
Preparation suggestions｜Die-plate and pulling and dimensional surface inspection materials can be checked; these are not skills already held or a hiring threshold.
Selection boundary｜Actual equipment, authority, and training are checked separately; overlapping tasks do not prove role-change difficulty, and paper items cannot replace on-site operation.
Rolling machine operators｜The exploration emphasis is rolls and rolling forming processes; the inspection and maintenance tasks of forging may overlap, and actual task assignment is checked separately.
Preparation suggestions｜Roll train adjustment and dimensional and shape records can be checked; these are not skills already held or a hiring threshold.
Selection boundary｜Actual equipment, authority, and training are checked separately; overlapping tasks do not prove role-change difficulty, and paper items cannot replace on-site operation.
Heat treating equipment operators｜The exploration emphasis is heating treatment processes and equipment records; the inspection and maintenance tasks of forging may overlap, and actual task assignment is checked separately.
Preparation suggestions｜Effective temperature and time programs and furnace batch records can be checked; these are not skills already held or a hiring threshold.
Selection boundary｜Actual equipment, authority, and training are checked separately; overlapping tasks do not prove role-change difficulty, and paper items cannot replace on-site operation.
Machinists｜The exploration emphasis is machine cutting and precision part manufacturing; the inspection and maintenance tasks of forging may overlap, and actual task assignment is checked separately.
Preparation suggestions｜Cutting work orders and setup and dimensional and geometric inspection materials can be checked; these are not skills already held or a hiring threshold.
Selection boundary｜Actual equipment, authority, and training are checked separately; overlapping tasks do not prove role-change difficulty, and paper items cannot replace on-site operation.
Fit exploration｜RC is a task interest description, and questions can be asked through equipment, drawing reading, inspection, and record situations, without judging competence from personality labels or scores.
Introvert check｜87% of respondents are face-to-face every day and 48% in continuous contact, which are specific option proportions; they do not imply moderate interpersonal intensity or hiring probability for introverts, and you can observe for yourself alongside the communication tasks.
What should I prepare before entering the field? First understand the real pace (a typical work week of more than 40 hours 54%, daily time pressure 54%, noise 75% every day, continuous standing 86%, continuous hand use 89%), and prepare common knowledge of safety and drawings and equipment and dies; you can start from operational assistance or an apprenticeship.
Where does everyday pressure mainly come from? Daily time pressure 54%, a typical work week of more than 40 hours 54%, pace being determined by equipment speed being extremely important 38%, consequences of error being extremely serious 27%, very high responsibility for the health and safety of others 23%, and exposure to contaminants monthly but not weekly 34%.
Physical conditions｜86% answered continuous or almost continuous standing and 89% continuous hand use, which is a category distribution and does not imply that everyone lifts the same or works the same hours. Actual equipment, load, and health conditions are checked against task and professional requirements, and no individual medical conclusion is provided.
Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese recruitment, licensing, and training lists were not verified; the United States BLS dedicated row lists the typical entry as a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience required, and medium-term on-the-job training; the O*NET82%/12%/4% are respondents' answers about whether new hires need high school, some college without a degree, or less than high school, not the actual educational distribution. Zone1—2/SVP<6 and several days to one year are a level over- view, not everyone's training duration. Actual positions and jurisdictions must be checked separately, and no uniform rule is invented.
Health boundary｜The context includes noise, standing, and using both hands, but no dedicated disease or exposure causal material was obtained; this page does not judge individual health, uniform schedules, or protection configuration, and these should be checked with the party responsible for real equipment safety and occupational health.
Career cycle and transition directions? You can grow from operational assistance and equipment operation to multiple machines and machine adjustment and crew leader, or move toward machinist, tool and die making, heat treating, inspection and testing, equipment repair, and production management and similar directions; crossing directions requires relearning procedures and drawings and qualification requirements.
Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese recruitment, licensing, and training lists were not verified; the United States BLS dedicated row lists the typical entry as a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience required, and medium-term on-the-job training; the O*NET82%/12%/4% are respondents' answers about whether new hires need high school, some college without a degree, or less than high school, not the actual educational distribution. Zone1—2/SVP<6 and several days to one year are a level over- view, not everyone's training duration. Actual positions and jurisdictions must be checked separately, and no uniform rule is invented.
Validation suggestions｜First do the F/V2 paper items and review 49.80—50.20, the B transcription correction, 60 passing and a shortfall of 40, and the M/Q handover; this observes task reading, calculation, and trail keeping and cannot validate equipment setup or on-site safety ability. For real experience, check training and authorization separately.
Fit signals: willing to adjust equipment and dies properly in the workshop and get forgings to pass dimensional checks, and able to bear responsibility for first articles and dimensions and safety.
Caution signals: finds long-term noise and high temperature and heavy objects and repetitive motion and a work week over 40 hours hard to bear, or is clearly uncomfortable with first articles and dimensions and safety and records.
Validation suggestions｜First do the F/V2 paper items and review 49.80—50.20, the B transcription correction, 60 passing and a shortfall of 40, and the M/Q handover; this observes task reading, calculation, and trail keeping and cannot validate equipment setup or on-site safety ability. For real experience, check training and authorization separately.
Used to check this occupation's task scope and work context (United States occupational classification definition).
Used to check the details of this occupation's tasks and work activities.
Used to check the interest code and sub-interest areas given by O*NET.
localtraining is a course catalog and JobZone1—2 is an overall preparation level, so no uniform training duration or licensing for this occupation is inferred.
Used to understand certificate information related to this occupation (a certificate is not enterprise appointment or a special operations qualification).
Used to check the point-in-time estimate definition of United States wages.
Used to check this occupation's employment, growth, education, and training definitions.
Used to add a general introduction to this occupation's national wage display (United States definition; not applicable to other jurisdictions).
Risk boundary｜The following is an editorial risk exploration with fictional scenarios written from the official task context, and no accident incidence rate or commonness was verified; it is not a safety, emergency, medical, legal, or quality release procedure. Real equipment and personnel anomalies are referred to the responsible party according to effective on-site procedures.
Direct answer｜The core risk of this occupation is not "can you operate equipment" but four types of failure with heavier consequences: machinery and high temperature and rigging safety failure (crushing and squeezing and burns and toppling loads and scalds), equipment and die failure (loss of equipment control and hydraulic and pneumatic and drive anomalies, and die cracking and misalignment and insert loss), quality failure (unconfirmed first article, dimensional deviation, batch nonconformity and rework and scrap), and procedure and record failure (skipping inspection and failed interlocks and distorted records and unreported exceptions).
Evidence scope｜This page is based on the tasks and work context of O*NET 51-4022.00 (wearing common protective and safety equipment every day 99%, continuous hand use 89%, face-to-face discussions every day 87%, continuous standing 86%, daily noise 75%, daily time pressure 54%, a typical work week of more than 40 hours 54%, pace being determined by equipment speed being extremely important 38%, precision being important 36%, contaminants monthly but not weekly 34%, consequences of error being extremely serious 27%, very high responsibility for the health and safety of others 23%, and so on) together with forging production practice; the wage and employment figures are background information only and are not used for risk assessment.
Operators and crews; oneself and fellow shift personnel
Hands or body entering the danger zone during pressing and forging and die installation and removal and rigging, or protection and interlocks being bypassed; personal injury such as crushing and squeezing and finger amputation and being struck by a falling load
Check suggestions｜Check effective operation, anomaly reporting, isolation, and resumption procedures with the parties responsible for equipment, safety, and quality; this article does not infer power-down and pressure-release, rigging, first aid, or personal protective actions. In the exercise, M is pending verification and the Q suspension keeps its status and is handed over.
Editorially fictional scenario｜To meet a delivery deadline, the die guard and interlock were bypassed and a part was taken out by hand, and the hand was crushed as the press descended.
Operators and equipment repair; personnel and equipment
Loss of equipment control or hydraulic and pneumatic and drive anomalies, or die cracking and misalignment and insert loss not handled in time; equipment damage and die scrap and flying parts injuring people
Check suggestions｜Check effective operation, anomaly reporting, isolation, and resumption procedures with the parties responsible for equipment, safety, and quality; this article does not infer power-down and pressure-release, rigging, first aid, or personal protective actions. In the exercise, M is pending verification and the Q suspension keeps its status and is handed over.
Editorially fictional scenario｜Production continued despite abnormal equipment noise and hydraulic fluctuation, and after the die cracked, flying parts damaged the equipment.
Operators and the quality lead; customers and the production plan
Batch production started with an unconfirmed first article, or with wrong tolerances and process and setup, or without handling dimensional deviation; batch nonconformity and rework and scrap and delivery delays and customer complaints
Check suggestions｜Check effective operation, anomaly reporting, isolation, and resumption procedures with the parties responsible for equipment, safety, and quality; this article does not infer power-down and pressure-release, rigging, first aid, or personal protective actions. In the exercise, M is pending verification and the Q suspension keeps its status and is handed over.
Editorially fictional scenario｜Batch pressing started without confirming the first article, and systematic dimensional deviation was found afterwards, requiring the whole batch to be reworked.
Operators and crews; oneself and others and production safety
Scalding from hot forging blanks and dies and flash, or inadequate high-temperature protection, or improper cleaning of residual material; burns and scalds and fire and personal injury
Check suggestions｜Check effective operation, anomaly reporting, isolation, and resumption procedures with the parties responsible for equipment, safety, and quality; this article does not infer power-down and pressure-release, rigging, first aid, or personal protective actions. In the exercise, M is pending verification and the Q suspension keeps its status and is handed over.
Editorially fictional scenario｜When cleaning hot forging residue, no dedicated tool or heat insulation protection was used, and the forearm was scalded by a hot part.
Operators and crews and repair; individuals and others and equipment
Improper selection or slinging of cranes and rigging, or overloading, or side pulling, or working under a suspended load; toppling loads and crushing injuries and equipment damage
Check suggestions｜Check effective operation, anomaly reporting, isolation, and resumption procedures with the parties responsible for equipment, safety, and quality; this article does not infer power-down and pressure-release, rigging, first aid, or personal protective actions. In the exercise, M is pending verification and the Q suspension keeps its status and is handed over.
Editorially fictional scenario｜When a crane lifted a die, the rigging was improperly selected and people were beneath the load, and the rigging slipped and created a near miss.
Operators and crews; oneself and production continuity
Working condition check｜Noise, repetitive motion, standing, and work-hour options do not prove hearing, respiratory, or musculoskeletal disease causation or individual burden; actual exposure measurement and health advice are checked separately.
Check suggestions｜Check effective operation, anomaly reporting, isolation, and resumption procedures with the parties responsible for equipment, safety, and quality; this article does not infer power-down and pressure-release, rigging, first aid, or personal protective actions. In the exercise, M is pending verification and the Q suspension keeps its status and is handed over.
Editorially fictional scenario｜After several consecutive days of night shift and overtime, attention declined and missed inspections and incorrect setups occurred during operation.
Used to check this occupation's task scope and work context (United States occupational classification definition; does not cover mainland China's occupational divisions).
Used to check the details of this occupation's tasks and work activities and to help identify failure types in setup and operation and inspection and die maintenance steps.
Used to check the point-in-time estimate definition of United States wages; wage figures are not used for risk assessment.
Used to check this occupation's employment, growth, and openings definitions; projections are not actual hiring.
Used to understand the principles of responsibility assignment and fallback plans when adopting digital tools; not an equipment safety and quality or occupational health standard.
| Focuses on continuous extruding and drawing forming, whereas this occupation focuses on single-piece or batch forging forming |
| Rolling machine operator | Assistance with rolling equipment operation, and with roll train and shape inspection | Safety training and equipment operation records | A fictional rolling dimensional and shape inspection record | Focuses on continuous production of rolled plate and profiles, whereas this occupation focuses on forging and upsetting forming |
| Heat treating equipment operator | Assistance with furnace charging and discharging, and with furnace batch and temperature records | Heat treatment safety training and operation records | A fictional furnace batch and temperature and cooling record | Focuses on heating and quenching and tempering processes and furnace batch management, whereas this occupation focuses on forging forming |
| Machinist | Assistance with turning and milling and drilling and grinding, and with setup and alignment and gauge use | Machining training and internship records | A fictional part dimensional and geometric inspection record | Focuses on precision cutting and part manufacturing, whereas this occupation focuses on forging forming and die installation and removal |
Education and training
Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese recruitment, licensing, and training lists were not verified; the United States BLS dedicated row lists the typical entry as a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience required, and medium-term on-the-job training; the O*NET82%/12%/4% are respondents' answers about whether new hires need high school, some college without a degree, or less than high school, not the actual educational distribution. Zone1—2/SVP<6 and several days to one year are a level over- view, not everyone's training duration. Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese recruitment and licensing jurisdictions and training lists were not verified this round, and no uniform short training or licensing rule is invented.
Actual position conditions and authorization are checked separately.
Qualification and jurisdiction check
Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese position licensing, re-examination, and qualification conditions were not verified this round; a United States certificate catalog does not equal a license.
No global uniform licensing scope or duration is invented.
Interests and work context
RC is the official interest code; 99% protective gear every day, 89% continuous hand use, and 86% continuous standing are specific options chosen by respondents.
They do not constitute individual hiring or medical conclusions.
Tools and paper materials
The official tasks include forging equipment, dies and fixtures, gauges, hand tools, and hoisting equipment; the software is only email, machine control, and inventory tracking.
This page uses pen and paper, a calculator, and a timer and does not operate equipment.
F/V2 full exercise
Paper-based fictional exercise｜Work order F version V2: dimension 50.00±0.20 millimeters, with both ends counted in the passing range; drawing copy V1 writes ±0.30 and is no longer valid. First-article A/B/C records 49.80/50.21/50.00 millimeters, and patrol D/E are 50.20/49.79; the log sheet copies B as 50.12. The simulated target is 100 pieces, with 60 recorded as inspected and passing, 25 pending inspection, and 15 failing; pending-inspection and failing pieces must not be counted as passing deliveries, and the target shortfall is calculated only from inspected passing pieces. Die M has a crack report pending verification, and notice Q requires production to stop pending the person in charge, with no resumption instruction received. The exercise provides no equipment operating, temperature and pressure, rigging, or repair procedures, and none may be invented. All values and rules are editorially fictional.
The exercise is entirely editorially fictional and completed only on paper; do not operate equipment or infer real release.
A 90-minute paper task
Task｜Use only pen and paper, a calculator, and the exercise for 90 minutes: perform the V1/V2 version check, judge the dimensions piece by piece and correct the B transcription, calculate the passing delivery shortfall, and list the handover questions for M/Q and the missing procedures. Time allocation: read the exercise 15, versions 10, dimensions 20, quantity 15, exceptions 20, review 10 minutes; do not install dies, start equipment, rig, heat, repair, or actually measure anything.
The exercise is entirely editorially fictional and completed only on paper; do not operate equipment or infer real release.
Reference deliverable and recomputation
Reference answer｜V2 is valid and the range is 49.80 to 50.20 millimeters inclusive; A/C/D meet the specified dimensions, B50.21 exceeds the upper limit by 0.01 and E49.79 is below the lower limit by 0.01 millimeter. The original B transcription of 50.12 is kept and corrected to 50.21, and the measured value must not be changed to manufacture a pass. Dimensional acceptance does not equal release of the piece or the batch. 100=60+25+15, inspected passing 60, and the target shortfall 100−60=40; the 25 pending inspection are not counted as passing, and the 15 failing pieces are not arbitrarily reworked or scrapped. The M pending crack goes to the person in charge, and the Q suspension is still in force and cannot be lifted even if A/C/D pass. Without temperature and pressure, rigging, and repair or approval procedures, list the missing materials and responsible parties without inventing actions. The time is 15+10+20+15+20+10=90 minutes.
The exercise is entirely editorially fictional and completed only on paper; do not operate equipment or infer real release.
Deliverable boundaries
Boundary｜The paper deliverable only observes versions, tolerance calculation, original record error correction, quantity statuses, and exception handover; it does not prove safe operation, on-site inspection, occupational qualifications, or release ability, and the fictional Q and tolerance rules are not enterprise procedures.
Version and requirement matrix
List F, V2, the invalid V1, the tolerance limits at both ends, and the Q status, separating the given from the missing procedures.
Dimension and transcription review
Record that A/C/D pass, that B/E are out of tolerance by 0.01 millimeter, and that B50.12→50.21, keeping the original record and not falsely claiming someone else reviewed it.
Quantity and exception handover
List 100=60+25+15 and the shortfall of 40, the M pending crack, and the valid Q suspension, and state clearly the receiving roles and the missing materials.
Tool and reflection record
Mark the inputs of the calculator or tools used and your own recomputation; do not fabricate reviewers or sign-offs without actual on-site verification.
| Stage | Points that may be checked | Observable evidence | Boundary note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resume and initial screening | Relevant vocational or technical school background, equipment operation and safety and die experience, and quality and safety awareness | Training and operation and safety records | Self-assessment cannot replace proof of equipment operation and safety training |
| Interview | Understanding of drawing reading and setup and first articles and inspection and safety | Judgment about equipment and die anomalies and hazards in on-site questions | Scenario answers cannot replace hands-on work and assessment |
| Hands-on work or trial employment | Complete setup and first articles and dimensional inspection according to standards and identify safety and quality risks | Hands-on records, first-article and dimensional inspection and inspection logs | Passing a trial does not mean obtaining special equipment and hazardous work qualifications |
| Onboarding and probation | Comply with equipment, die, quality, and safety procedures and report anomalies | Production, quality, and anomaly reporting records | Suitability and authorization are governed by enterprise assessment and qualifications |
Day 1: subject and versions
30 minutes: read the task definition and exercise F and organize the valid V2 and the invalid V1.
Day 2: conditions and unknowns
30 minutes: list the real equipment procedures, training, and environment pending verification and do no on-site experience.
Day 3: dimensional judgment
30 minutes: calculate 49.80—50.20 and check items A through E and record the basis.
Day 4: error correction and quantity
30 minutes: keep the mistaken B copy and correct it to 50.21; recompute 60 passing and a shortfall of 40.
Day 5: exception handover
30 minutes: write the M pending verification and the Q suspension, without resuming on one's own, and the responsible parties pending verification.
Day 6: full exercise run-through
90 minutes: complete the four deliverables in 15/10/20/15/20/10 and recompute independently without fabricating external evaluation.
Day 7: review and choice
30 minutes: compare against the reference answer, find at least two problems or state that none were found, and record the basis for continuing to learn, stopping, or exploring adjacent directions.
| Qualification or preparation item | Who it applies to | Its role for this occupation | Whether it is universally required | Conditions for obtaining it | Rough investment | Limitation note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | A preparation direction, with actual position applicability pending verification | Editorial suggestions: check real recruitment, training, and authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify general Chinese position requirements | Check against the effective conditions of the actual employer and competent authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify specific training or acquisition durations | Typical United States education and medium-term on-the-job training do not stand in for Chinese qualifications, personal duration, or authorization |
| Equipment operation and safe production training | A preparation direction, with actual position applicability pending verification | Editorial suggestions: check real recruitment, training, and authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify general Chinese position requirements | Check against the effective conditions of the actual employer and competent authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify specific training or acquisition durations | Typical United States education and medium-term on-the-job training do not stand in for Chinese qualifications, personal duration, or authorization |
| Die and gauge and inspection training | A preparation direction, with actual position applicability pending verification | Editorial suggestions: check real recruitment, training, and authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify general Chinese position requirements | Check against the effective conditions of the actual employer and competent authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify specific training or acquisition durations | Typical United States education and medium-term on-the-job training do not stand in for Chinese qualifications, personal duration, or authorization |
| Crane and rigging and special equipment operator certificate | A preparation direction, with actual position applicability pending verification | Editorial suggestions: check real recruitment, training, and authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify general Chinese position requirements | Check against the effective conditions of the actual employer and competent authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify specific training or acquisition durations | Typical United States education and medium-term on-the-job training do not stand in for Chinese qualifications, personal duration, or authorization |
| Welding and thermal cutting (if involved) | A preparation direction, with actual position applicability pending verification | Editorial suggestions: check real recruitment, training, and authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify general Chinese position requirements | Check against the effective conditions of the actual employer and competent authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify specific training or acquisition durations | Typical United States education and medium-term on-the-job training do not stand in for Chinese qualifications, personal duration, or authorization |
| Skill level and multi-machine and machine adjustment capability | A preparation direction, with actual position applicability pending verification | Editorial suggestions: check real recruitment, training, and authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify general Chinese position requirements | Check against the effective conditions of the actual employer and competent authority | Insufficient evidence: this round did not verify specific training or acquisition durations | Typical United States education and medium-term on-the-job training do not stand in for Chinese qualifications, personal duration, or authorization |
Qualification boundary (One)｜Recruitment conditions, statutory qualifications, and enterprise authorization are three different states: meeting recruitment conditions does not equal obtaining equipment and die operation or rigging and special equipment operation qualifications, and obtaining training and certificates does not equal obtaining process change and equipment repair and quality decision authority.
Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese recruitment, licensing, and training lists were not verified; the United States BLS dedicated row lists the typical entry as a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience required, and medium-term on-the-job training; the O*NET82%/12%/4% are respondents' answers about whether new hires need high school, some college without a degree, or less than high school, not the actual educational distribution. Zone1—2/SVP<6 and several days to one year are a level over- view, not everyone's training duration. Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese recruitment and licensing jurisdictions and training lists were not verified this round, and no uniform short training or licensing rule is invented.
Qualification boundary (Three)｜The preparation items listed on this page are search and check directions and do not constitute any institution's official qualification list; if they differ from an enterprise posting or competent authority requirement, the latter governs.
Qualification boundary (Four)｜This page provides no individual medical conclusion, hiring likelihood, or pay promise.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no specific recruitment posting sample, so recruitment channels, frequency, or pay are not counted. The following are only suggested fields for later sampling.
Check suggestions｜When looking at recruitment information, record the publication date, location, enterprise type (automotive and machinery and hardware and fastener enterprises, aviation parts and precision forging plants, die and repair services), employment form (regular employee, labor service and dispatch, piece rate and overtime and night shift), shift and overtime and high temperature and skill allowances, education and certificate and safety training requirements, and whether it involves machine adjustment and die installation and removal and quality decisions; this information often reflects the real conditions better than the page does.
Boundary｜The preparation path and capability ladder on this page are meant to help you plan learning and accumulate evidence and do not constitute hiring, promotion, or qualification decisions. Actual entry is governed by enterprise recruitment conditions, education and skills training and experience and assessment, and by the local requirements for enterprise equipment safety and special equipment and occupational health.
Under the guidance of the mentor and crew, learn safety and equipment operation and loading and cleaning and gauge use and assisted die installation and removal; does not independently bear setup, first-article, or quality decision responsibility.
Following along (apprenticeship and operational assistance period)
Can independently complete equipment operation and setup and first articles and dimensional inspection and routine maintenance, and stop and report according to procedures when anomalies or hazards occur.
Independent operation (equipment operation position)
Can independently take on multiple machines and machine adjustment and die installation and removal and upkeep and quality handling and mentor newcomers, and is responsible for first articles and records and on-site safety.
Skilled and crew lead (multi-machine and machine adjustment position)
Takes part in process and equipment and die and safety and training management, and handles complex and disputed matters; requires the corresponding position authorization.
Standards and coordination (crew leader and equipment lead)
Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese recruitment, licensing, and training lists were not verified; the United States BLS dedicated row lists the typical entry as a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience required, and medium-term on-the-job training; the O*NET82%/12%/4% are respondents' answers about whether new hires need high school, some college without a degree, or less than high school, not the actual educational distribution. Zone1—2/SVP<6 and several days to one year are a level over- view, not everyone's training duration. Actual positions and jurisdictions must be checked separately, and no uniform rule is invented.
Qualification boundary｜"Trained," "holds a certificate," "holds crane and rigging and special equipment qualifications," and "obtains enterprise and crew authorization" are four different states; the preparation items listed on this page do not equal any statutory qualification and do not automatically confer process change and equipment repair and quality decision and line stoppage handling authority.
Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese recruitment, licensing, and training lists were not verified; the United States BLS dedicated row lists the typical entry as a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience required, and medium-term on-the-job training; the O*NET82%/12%/4% are respondents' answers about whether new hires need high school, some college without a degree, or less than high school, not the actual educational distribution. Zone1—2/SVP<6 and several days to one year are a level over- view, not everyone's training duration. Actual positions and jurisdictions must be checked separately, and no uniform rule is invented.
Summary｜Understand the path as a cycle of training — practice — assessment — authorization: complete education and safety and equipment and die training first, then accumulate experience in equipment operation and first articles and inspection and die maintenance, and after passing assessment operate independently and mentor others; matters involving process changes and equipment repair and quality decisions and special equipment operations require the corresponding authorization.
Used to check this occupation's task scope and work context and to help plan learning priorities (United States occupational classification definition).
Used to check the point-in-time estimate definition of United States wages; not used for personal income prediction.
Used to check this occupation's employment, growth, and openings definitions; projections are not actual hiring.
localtraining is a course catalog and JobZone1—2 is an overall preparation level, so no uniform training duration or licensing for this occupation is inferred.
Safety and equipment operation training records; protective equipment use standards.
Follow the mentor to become familiar with drawing reading and setup and first articles and inspection and safety procedures, and record daily learning points.
Shadowing records and mentor evaluation; can restate the drawing reading and setup and safety points.
Under the mentor's and crew's guidance, take on loading and part removal and cleaning and gauges and assisted die installation and removal; does not independently bear setup, first-article, or quality decision responsibility.
Loading and cleaning assistance
On-the-job training records; equipment operation and safety assessment.
Accumulate proficiency on different equipment and processes and practice first-article review and out-of-tolerance handling and records.
First-article and patrol and dimensional records and review comments.
Independently complete equipment operation and setup and first articles and dimensional inspection and routine maintenance, and report anomalies and hazards according to procedures.
Machine adjustment and die training; enterprise skill level.
Learn equipment and die and takt and quality and safety organization and practice cross-process communication and exception handling.
Setup and die and quality and handover records; mentoring evaluation.
Can independently take on multiple machines and machine adjustment and die installation and removal and upkeep and quality handling and mentor newcomers.
Multi-machine and machine adjustment worker
Corresponding management seniority or enterprise appointment.
Improve equipment and die and quality and safety and training and assessment mechanisms.
Standards, training, equipment, quality, and safety records.
Takes part in process and equipment and die and safety and training management, handles complex and disputed matters, and mentors newcomers.
Crew leader and equipment lead
Process archive training; process and quality authority is checked against the real position appointment.
Be familiar with tolerances and process steps and versions and processes and archive requirements.
Work order and drawing and process records and how they were reviewed.
Responsible for receiving, registering, verifying, issuing, recovering, and filing work orders and drawings and process cards.
Work order and drawing and process administrator
Die and gauge training; enterprise authorization.
Learn die structure and regrinding and assembly and quality control and the link with equipment.
Die installation and removal and upkeep and regrinding records.
Takes on preparation, checking, installation and removal, upkeep, regrinding, and life management of dies and fixtures and stops.
Die and tooling support staff
Inspection and gauge training; enterprise authorization.
Master gauge use and tolerances and sampling and the out-of-tolerance and rework and scrap process.
Inspection and out-of-tolerance and remediation tracking records.
Responsible for executing and recording first-article and patrol and dimensional and appearance inspection and for out-of-tolerance tracking.
Quality and inspection support staff
Corresponding management seniority or enterprise appointment.
Improve equipment and quality and safety and data and training and emergency mechanisms.
Equipment and quality and safety conclusions; system and training documents.
Responsible for equipment and die and quality and safety, sets standards and training, and coordinates internal and external matters.
Equipment and quality and safety lead
Production material training; process change authority is checked against the real appointment.
Learn key points of capacity and takt and die changes and materials and delivery coordination.
Scheduling and die change and material and delivery records.
Responsible for scheduling and coordinating orders and lines and materials and dies and shifts and records execution.
Production planning and material coordination staff
Equipment and die maintenance training; enterprise authorization.
Be familiar with inspection and upkeep and repair and spare parts and shutdown processes.
Inspection and upkeep and repair and exception records.
Assists with equipment inspection and upkeep and repair and die maintenance and spare parts management and records exceptions.
Equipment and die maintenance coordination staff
Safety management training; enterprise authorization.
Master risk identification, hazard inspection, emergency, and incident handling mechanisms.
Safety inspection and hazard remediation and training records.
Responsible for on-site safety and protection and interlocks and rigging and high temperature and emergency response and training and inspection.
Safety and site management staff
Corresponding management appointment or enterprise authorization.
Improve production and equipment and safety and emergency and assessment mechanisms.
Production and equipment and safety conclusions; system and training documents.
Responsible for production and equipment and safety and environment and personnel, coordinates multiple parties, and handles disputes according to procedures.
Workshop and equipment and safety lead
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status. BLS51-4022 current dedicated projections: about 8,900 people in 2025 and about 7,400 in 2035, a change of -17.2% and a ten-year net decrease of about 1,500; average annual openings of about 600 over 2025—2035, including growth and replacement, not 600 new positions or actual hiring numbers. The table unit is thousands; the self-employed column "—" is not 0, EP coverage includes the self-employed, and it differs from the OEWS wage survey. The O*NET summary still shows the old 2024—2034, while this article uses the updated BLS table.
Projection boundary｜A declining total and replacement openings can occur together, and the 600 openings must not be treated as a net increase; this table does not prove the employment causation of automation, outsourcing, or generative AI.
EP includes the self-employed, and the dedicated "—" is not 0; the national projection does not apply to other jurisdictions and is not real hiring or AI causation.
Employment scale and growth rate and job openings
SOC 51-4022（Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic）
BLS51-4022 current dedicated projections: about 8,900 people in 2025 and about 7,400 in 2035, a change of -17.2% and a ten-year net decrease of about 1,500; average annual openings of about 600 over 2025—2035, including growth and replacement, not 600 new positions or actual hiring numbers. The table unit is thousands; the self-employed column "—" is not 0, EP coverage includes the self-employed, and it differs from the OEWS wage survey. The O*NET summary still shows the old 2024—2034, while this article uses the updated BLS table.
The top and bottom deciles of the wage distribution span about 1.9 times and do not identify enterprise, region, shift, or seniority causes.
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
Wages (median and percentiles)
SOC 51-4022（OEWS 2025）
Median hourly wage 23.57 US dollars, median annual wage 49,030 US dollars; percentiles 36,800 / 42,440 / 60,130 / 68,720 US dollars
NBS2025 manufacturing non-private 113594/private 76055 yuan per year is only an industry proxy; there is no sample of this occupation's regular and dispatch and piece-rate and shift overtime shares, so the size of structural differences is not asserted.
Industry definition, published annually, differs from the United States occupational wage definition, and no splicing or conversion is done.
Industry average wage (background proxy)
National Bureau of Statistics average wages of urban unit employees (industry category)
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status.
Used to check the point-in-time estimate definition of United States wages and employment; does not constitute a pay promise for any plant or region.
BLS2025—2035 dedicated 51-4022 employment and openings; projections are not actual hiring.
Used to check the definition and year of the National Bureau of Statistics industry-category average wage; it is an industry proxy, not an occupational wage.
Used to check this occupation's task scope and work context (United States occupational classification definition).
Need to add shearing and pressing and die and equipment operation capability
Drawing reading and die setting and machine adjustment, shearing and pressing and forming, dimensional and appearance checking, and die maintenance
Editorial comparison｜Outputs and skills may overlap, and actual training and position requirements are checked separately; there is no role-change difficulty data, so no near or moderate rating is given.
Need to add extruding and drawing and die-plate maintenance capability
Die setting and machine adjustment, extruding and drawing and pulling, dimensional and surface checking, and die-plate and equipment maintenance
Editorial comparison｜Outputs and skills may overlap, and actual training and position requirements are checked separately; there is no role-change difficulty data, so no near or moderate rating is given.
Need to add rolling and roll train adjustment capability
Roll installation and machine adjustment, rolling and reduction and tension control, dimensional and shape checking, and roll train and equipment maintenance
Editorial comparison｜Outputs and skills may overlap, and actual training and position requirements are checked separately; there is no role-change difficulty data, so no near or moderate rating is given.
Need to add heat treatment process and furnace batch management capability
Furnace charging and heating and holding, quenching and tempering and cooling, hardness and metallographic and appearance checking, and furnace body and tooling maintenance
Editorial comparison｜Outputs and skills may overlap, and actual training and position requirements are checked separately; there is no role-change difficulty data, so no near or moderate rating is given.
Need to add grinding and polishing and surface treatment capability
Setup and alignment, grinding and polishing and deburring, dimensional and surface checking, and equipment and wheel maintenance
Editorial comparison｜Outputs and skills may overlap, and actual training and position requirements are checked separately; there is no role-change difficulty data, so no near or moderate rating is given.
Need to add precision cutting and precision part manufacturing capability
Drawing reading and processes, turning and milling and drilling and grinding and setup and alignment, dimensional and geometric inspection, and machine and tool and fixture maintenance
Editorial comparison｜Outputs and skills may overlap, and actual training and position requirements are checked separately; there is no role-change difficulty data, so no near or moderate rating is given.
Need to add welding and cutting and brazing capability
Welding and cutting and brazing processes, joint and distortion control, appearance and nondestructive inspection, and protection and fire prevention
Editorial comparison｜Outputs and skills may overlap, and actual training and position requirements are checked separately; there is no role-change difficulty data, so no near or moderate rating is given.
Need to add inspection and testing and metrology capability
Gauges and metrology and sampling, dimensional and appearance and physical and chemical inspection, and records and decisions and nonconforming handling
Editorial comparison｜Outputs and skills may overlap, and actual training and position requirements are checked separately; there is no role-change difficulty data, so no near or moderate rating is given.
BLS51-4022 current dedicated projections: about 8,900 people in 2025 and about 7,400 in 2035, a change of -17.2% and a ten-year net decrease of about 1,500; average annual openings of about 600 over 2025—2035, including growth and replacement, not 600 new positions or actual hiring numbers. The table unit is thousands; the self-employed column "—" is not 0, EP coverage includes the self-employed, and it differs from the OEWS wage survey. The O*NET summary still shows the old 2024—2034, while this article uses the updated BLS table. The United States May2025 national median hourly wage is 23.57 and the annual wage 49,030 US dollars, with quintiles of 36,800/42,440/49,030/60,130/68,720 US dollars per year and a top-to-bottom decile ratio of about 1.9 times. The distribution cannot prove that enterprise, region, skill, or shift causes the differences, and the median is not a starting wage. OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs ; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status.
O*NET99% protective gear every day, 89% continuous hand use, 86% continuous standing, 75% daily noise, and 54% more than 40 hours; the 34% for contaminants is monthly but not weekly. All are respondent option proportions and do not represent everyone's environment or an individual medical conclusion.
Insufficient evidence: no generative AI exposure score, enterprise adoption rate, or employment causal material precisely for 51-4022 was obtained, and no medium-low or short-term non-replacement conclusion is given. The editorial candidates are work order search, record checking, and report drafts; email, machine control, and inventory software do not equal generative AI. On-site setup, observation, inspection, and exception handling are checked against effective procedures and specific authorization, and tool text is not treated as the real situation or as a release.
The United States BLS dedicated row lists the typical entry as a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience required, and medium-term on-the-job training; the O*NET82%/12%/4% are respondents' answers about whether new hires need high school, some college without a degree, or less than high school, not the actual educational distribution. Zone1—2/SVP<6 and several days to one year are a level overview, not everyone's training duration. Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese recruitment and licensing jurisdictions and training lists were not verified this round, and no uniform short training or licensing rule is invented.
Insufficient evidence: the licensing jurisdiction, re-examination, and training lists for specific Chinese positions were not verified this round; catalogs, training, certificates, and employer authorization are checked separately, and no uniform rule for most jurisdictions is invented.
Risk boundary｜The following is an editorial risk exploration with fictional scenarios written from the official task context, and no accident incidence rate or commonness was verified; it is not a safety, emergency, medical, legal, or quality release procedure. Real equipment and personnel anomalies are referred to the responsible party according to effective on-site procedures.
BLS51-4022 current dedicated projections: about 8,900 people in 2025 and about 7,400 in 2035, a change of -17.2% and a ten-year net decrease of about 1,500; average annual openings of about 600 over 2025—2035, including growth and replacement, not 600 new positions or actual hiring numbers. The table unit is thousands; the self-employed column "—" is not 0, EP coverage includes the self-employed, and it differs from the OEWS wage survey. The O*NET summary still shows the old 2024—2034, while this article uses the updated BLS table. Adjacent directions are editorial exploration only, and training, work orders, equipment, and qualifications must be checked separately.
Checked on 2026-10-11: all O*NET51-4022 tasks, context, new-hire education and interests, and software; normal May2025 national and four specific industry wages, the dedicated 2025—2035 projections, the NBS2025 English manufacturing tables reusing the full text, and ILO2025 potential task exposure.
Source card｜Source register: the source register on this page lists the O*NET occupational profile and detailed profile and interests and training and certificates and national wages and hot technologies, BLS OEWS and employment projections and the data overview and national data tables and news releases, the National Bureau of Statistics 2025 urban unit average wages and release index and definition notes, the ILO and NIST governance references, and the FermatMind definition rules; each fact's source_refs point to an id within that register.
Currently consulted 2026-10-11, O*NET2026, May2025 wages, dedicated 2025—2035 projections, NBS2025; the original shared history consultation date is unchanged.
National medians and four specific industry medians have been verified; Chinese occupational city income, representative recruitment, specific equipment and jurisdiction licensing, causal AI adoption efficiency, and questionnaire validity were not obtained. Protected and shared conflicts are listed in the author report.
Official occupational scope: setting up and operating or tending forging machines to form metal or plastic blanks into parts.
Includes elements such as drawing reading and setup and machine adjustment and first articles and inspection and die installation and removal.
O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
United States
O*NET 2026 occupational profile
official occupational profile
51-4022.00 exact occupation
Occupational-level description; does not represent qualification or licensing requirements.
2026-10-02
Details of tasks, work activities, and work context, used to define this occupation's boundaries.
Used to check setup and operation and inspection and die maintenance steps.
O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
United States
O*NET 2026 occupational profile
official task and work context detail
51-4022.00 exact occupation
Occupational-level description, not an automated risk assessment.
2026-09-21
BLS51-4022 current dedicated projections: about 8,900 people in 2025 and about 7,400 in 2035, a change of -17.2% and a ten-year net decrease of about 1,500; average annual openings of about 600 over 2025—2035, including growth and replacement, not 600 new positions or actual hiring numbers. The table unit is thousands; the self-employed column "—" is not 0, EP coverage includes the self-employed, and it differs from the OEWS wage survey. The O*NET summary still shows the old 2024—2034, while this article uses the updated BLS table.
This source is used only for the occupations or industries and jurisdictions already read and does not stand in for real positions or individual outcomes.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States
2025—2035
official employment projections
51-4022 Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
EP includes the self-employed, and the dedicated self-employed column — is not 0; projections are not actual hiring.
2026-10-02
Median hourly wage 23.57 US dollars, median annual wage 49,030 US dollars.
10% percentile 36,800 US dollars/year, 25% percentile 42,440 US dollars/year, 75% percentile 60,130 US dollars/year, 90% percentile 68,720 US dollars/year.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States
2025 OEWS
official wage estimates
51-4022 Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
2026-09-21
Urban non-private units manufacturing category average wage 113,594 yuan/year; urban private units 76,055 yuan/year.
Pre-tax total wage definition, including personal income tax withheld by the unit and the individual's social insurance and housing provident fund contributions.
National Bureau of Statistics
Mainland China
2025 annual wage
official industry wage release
manufacturing industry proxy
Industry-category definition, does not distinguish occupations; serves as a background proxy.
2026-10-02
Insufficient evidence: this round obtained no Chinese wage, employment, or recruitment sample for this occupation, and it is not asserted from this that none exists nationwide. The NBS2025 manufacturing figures of 113,594 non-private and 76,055 private yuan/year are only an industry proxy; the coverage is urban legal entities with 5 or more persons, excluding self-employed individuals and freelancers, and the total wage includes stipulated bonuses and allowances without broadly excluding seasonal status.
This source is used only for the occupations or industries and jurisdictions already read and does not stand in for real positions or individual outcomes.
National Bureau of Statistics
Mainland China
2025 release methodology
official methodology note
industry-level methodology
Not broken down by occupation; cannot replace an occupational wage.
2026-09-21
The interest code is RC (Realistic—Conventional).
Sub-interest areas include physical labor, and engineering and mechanics and electronics.
O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
United States
O*NET 2026 occupational profile
official interest profile
51-4022.00 exact occupation
Interest data does not constitute a hiring or fit conclusion.
2026-09-21
The United States BLS dedicated row lists the typical entry as a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience required, and medium-term on-the-job training; the O*NET82%/12%/4% are respondents' answers about whether new hires need high school, some college without a degree, or less than high school, not the actual educational distribution. Zone1—2/SVP<6 and several days to one year are a level overview, not everyone's training duration. Insufficient evidence: specific Chinese recruitment and licensing jurisdictions and training lists were not verified this round, and no uniform short training or licensing rule is invented.
This source is used only for the occupations or industries and jurisdictions already read and does not stand in for real positions or individual outcomes.
O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
United States
O*NET training data current 2026
official training directory
51-4022.00 exact occupation
A training path does not equal a qualification or license.
2026-09-21
A certificate catalog does not equal a license, enterprise authorization, or a general appointment requirement.
Insufficient evidence: the licensing, jurisdiction, and re-examination conditions for specific Chinese positions were not verified this round.
O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
United States
O*NET credential data current 2026
official credential directory
51-4022.00 exact occupation
A certificate catalog is not the same as enterprise appointment or special operations qualifications.
2026-09-21
Used to check national median and hourly and percentile wages.
The source is labeled BLS 2025 wage data.
O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
United States
2025 wage data
official wage display
51-4022.00 exact occupation
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
2026-10-02
Used to understand the mechanism by which technology affects tasks.
The research subject is mainly the broad occupational group and does not cover this exact occupation.
International Labour Organization
Global
current
research topic page
task exposure context
Does not predict job changes in this occupation.
2026-09-21
Used for governance and risk control principles.
Used to clarify responsibility assignment and fallback plans when adopting digital tools.
NIST
United States
AI RMF 1.0
governance framework
AI risk governance
Not an equipment safety and quality or occupational health standard.
2026-09-21
Used to check occupational elements and sample job titles.
Used to check the skills and knowledge element lists.
O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
United States
O*NET 2026 occupational profile
official custom profile
51-4022.00 exact occupation
Used for boundary and element checks.
2026-09-21
Used to check the point-in-time wage and employment definitions and coverage.
Used to check sampling and missing-data limitations.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States
2025 OEWS
official statistics overview
OEWS national estimates
OEWS covers the normal-hours pre-tax wages of full-time and part-time wage and salary employees, including base pay, piece rates, commissions, production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances, and excluding overtime premium, non-production bonuses, and employer benefit costs; all allowances or piece-rate or dispatch and seasonal status must not be categorically excluded. Annual wages are usually converted as hourly wage times 2080 and do not equal an individual's actual hours, take-home pay, or annual earnings.
2026-09-21
Used to check the release timing and statistical scope.
Used to check the wage and employment descriptions of the production and manufacturing major group.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States
2025 OEWS
official news release
OEWS national release
It is a release definition and does not represent an individual's pay.
2026-09-21
Used to check the projection method and period definition.
Used to check the growth category and replacement need notes.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States
2025—2035
official projections overview
national projections
EP includes the self-employed, and the dedicated self-employed column — is not 0; projections are not actual hiring.
2026-09-21
Used for field and evidence definitions and gap register rules.
Used for cross-market definition boundary notes.
FermatMind
Global
current authoring rules
internal authoring rules
internal_rubric
Internal definition rules, not an external factual source.
2026-09-21
Used to check employment and trend background.
Used to check the trend of skill and technology mentions in job postings.
O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
United States
current O*NET/BLS data
official trend display
employment trend context
A trend display does not represent personal opportunity.
2026-09-21
Used to check national percentile and mean wages.
Used to check the missing situation of industry and regional breakdowns.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States
2025 OEWS
official sub-national wage display
51-4022 OEWS detail page
Sub-regional breakdowns may be missing or unreliable.
2026-09-21
Used to locate average urban unit wage releases over the years.
Used to check the annual definition release cycle.
National Bureau of Statistics
Mainland China
2025 release index
official release index
release index
A release index that contains no occupation-level data.
2026-09-21
Used to check the national wage and employment rows.
Used to check percentile comparisons across occupations.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States
2025 OEWS
official national wage table
national OEWS table
National definition; excludes benefits.
2026-09-21
The main industry is manufacturing (transportation equipment and machinery and fabricated metal products).
Used to understand the employer type distribution.
O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
United States
current O*NET data
official industry display
industry context
Used for industry background; does not replace industry wages.
2026-09-21
The O*NET summary software is only email, machine control, and inventory tracking.
hot_tech was not revisited directly, and the catalog is not used to infer CNC programming or AI adoption.
O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
United States
O*NET technology data current 2026
official technology display
technology context
A technology mention does not equal capability or degree of automation.
2026-09-21
Used to check the point-in-time wage and employment definitions.
Used to check national percentiles and employment scale.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States
2025 OEWS
official statistics index
OEWS national estimates
Not applicable to other jurisdictions.
2026-09-21
Used to check the projection method and period definition.
Used to check the employment change and replacement need notes.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States
2025—2035
official projections overview
national projections
EP includes the self-employed, and the dedicated self-employed column — is not 0; projections are not actual hiring.
2026-09-21
SOC51-4022 national and within-industry wages
Specific enterprise adoption and appointment are checked separately
BLS
United States
May2025
official primary source
SOC51-4022 national and within-industry wages
Does not extrapolate to individual outcomes or a specific appointment
2026-10-11
Global ISCO08 potential task exposure
Specific enterprise adoption and appointment are checked separately
ILO
Global
2025
official primary source
Global ISCO08 potential task exposure
Does not extrapolate to individual outcomes or a specific appointment
2026-10-11