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SOC 51-4034
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders (O*NET 51-4034.00) set up and operate lathes to turn metal or plastic bar stock and wire to the drawing, measuring and controlling dimensional tolerance.
Ownership of judgment | Read the drawing and process, set up, machine, measure, and record; operation requires training and employer authorization, and work affected by a faulty guard stops. Measurement and chip clearing must wait until the machine is fully stopped; record quality anomalies and pending items, and do not treat paper works as hands-on ability.
Caution signal | Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders 51-4034.00 handle metal and plastic turning, boring, threading, and facing; the deliverable is the drawing tolerance and a checkable measurement record. In 2025 the U.S. annual wages at the 10/25/50/75/90 percentiles were 36,670, 43,250, 50,620, 60,700, and 69,700 USD; the official hourly wages were 17.63, 20.79, 24.34, 29.18, and 33.51 USD. The new BLS precise 51-4034 period: 2025 employment 16,700 → 14,800 in 2035, a decline of 11.3%, net decrease 1,900; average annual openings 1,400, including replacement needs, not net new jobs. The detailed OOH line rounds the decline to 11%. For the China precise wage gap see the China salary section; AB is paper only, and work is not performed when the guard and training status are unknown.
Lathe operator corresponds to U.S. 51-4034.00: setting up, operating, and tending a lathe to turn, bore, thread, form, and face metal and plastic wire and bar stock, including numerically controlled tasks but not the same as a CNC programmer. The Chinese 2018 lathe operator skill standard 6-18-01-01 defines it as operating a lathe to cut the rotating surface of a workpiece; level five junior worker through level one senior technician, with ordinary education at junior high school or equivalent. The standard's assessment conditions, employer recruitment, and equipment authorization are checked separately, and it is not written as a uniform national certificate requirement. In 2025 the U.S. annual wages at the 10/25/50/75/90 percentiles were 36,670, 43,250, 50,620, 60,700, and 69,700 USD; the official hourly wages were 17.63, 20.79, 24.34, 29.18, and 33.51 USD. The new BLS precise 51-4034 period: 2025 employment 16,700 → 14,800 in 2035, a decline of 11.3%, net decrease 1,900; average annual openings 1,400, including replacement needs, not net new jobs. The detailed OOH line rounds the decline to 11%. The China wage percentile gap is listed separately.
Career direction comparison
Compare the core output, responsibility boundaries, and work mode; do not swap by name.
| Career direction | Core work and output | Key differences | Best-fit choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial machinery mechanics | Industrial machinery mechanics direction | The core output is equipment installation, diagnosis, and repair. This occupation focuses on producing conforming workpieces by machine tool; the objects and authorization differ, and titles alone cannot be swapped. | The core output is equipment installation, diagnosis, and repair. | Compare if you are willing to do equipment repair. |
| Coil winders, tapers, and finishers |
AI impact on this career
Insufficient evidence: the generative AI adoption rate, efficiency gains, and wage causality for lathe operators were not established this round. Conventional CNC, CAM, and in-line monitoring are not the same as generative AI. This round obtained no generative AI adoption rate, efficiency gain, or wage causality for lathe operators; it may be trialed in fictional record organization, with the original records checked item by item, and it must not execute generated programs or change real parameters on model advice. Setup, measurement, safety, and authorization are still verified by the actual responsible person.
First distinguish assistable tasks from final responsibility.
A technical demonstration is not organizational adoption.
Layoff timing cannot be derived from task exposure.
Chinese mainland salary reference
Related industry reference | Manufacturing overlaps in actual output with metal and plastic parts machining, and the NBS covers multiple occupations without directly giving a lathe operator wage. The Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security posting of 2026-01-08: Shanghai Zhendong Engineering Equipment Complete Institute, lathe operators 2 people, 6000—10000 yuan/month, junior high school; requires drawing reading and fine machining, experience operating ordinary lathes and boring machines, including maintenance and safety awareness. A single posting is not starting pay or a wage distribution, and the pay composition and whether it is still open this round are for the employer to verify.
Insufficient evidence: this round established no Chinese national lathe operator wage percentile or starting pay precisely corresponding to U.S. 51-4034.00. The related manufacturing 2025 urban non-private 113,594 and private 76,055 yuan/year are pretax annual averages excluding the self-employed and freelancers, listed separately and not spliced into a wage range; manufacturing covers multiple occupations and can serve as industry background but does not stand in for the lathe operator median. The Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security posting of 2026-01-08: Shanghai Zhendong Engineering Equipment Complete Institute, lathe operators 2 people, 6000—10000 yuan/month, junior high school; requires drawing reading and fine machining, experience operating ordinary lathes and boring machines, including maintenance and safety awareness. A single posting is not starting pay or a wage distribution, and the pay composition and whether it is still open this round are for the employer to verify.
U.S. salary reference
In 2025 the U.S. annual wages at the 10/25/50/75/90 percentiles were 36,670, 43,250, 50,620, 60,700, and 69,700 USD; the official hourly wages were 17.63, 20.79, 24.34, 29.18, and 33.51 USD. The new BLS precise 51-4034 period: 2025 employment 16,700 → 14,800 in 2035, a decline of 11.3%, net decrease 1,900; average annual openings 1,400, including replacement needs, not net new jobs. The detailed OOH line rounds the decline to 11%. O*NET is currently also on 2025—2035: employment 16,700 → 14,800, average annual openings 1,400; the historical old-period values in the shared register and the protected FAQ are not synchronized and are not used as the current projection. Manufacturing is 97% in the U.S. 2025 industry distribution.
Fit signals
Direct answer | The fit signal is a willingness to keep checking dimensions against the drawing and tolerance, being able to stand for long periods and perform fine hand movements, a willingness to follow safety rules in equipment noise and a chip environment, and stopping and reporting on out-of-tolerance parts or equipment anomalies, rather than a personality label. Interest and personality tools can only help design exercises and cannot judge hiring qualifications or performance.
Positive signals： Positive signals | Can read the drawing and tolerance requirements and set up and align accordingly; can correctly use measuring instruments and judge whether the first article is conforming; can adjust parameters according to tool condition and machining behavior and record them.
Caution conditions： Caution conditions | Risk signals include misreading the drawing or tolerance, unstable setup or excessive overhang, worn tools not replaced, chatter or burnt tools from improper speed and feed settings, measurement method or instrument error, and chip entanglement not stopped and cleared; if you find it hard to bear equipment noise, standing work, and the intensity of high-precision measurement, you should treat these as real costs that need careful weighing.
Risks and boundaries
Risks must be handled by trigger, consequence, control, and escalation boundary.
This occupation's tasks and the CCOHS technical guide are kept separate, and the specific jurisdiction and employer procedures are checked separately.
Typical scenario：Spindle rotation, chip entanglement, tool breakage, or workpiece ejection.
Roles most affected：Lathe operator
Entry paths
Entry check | The Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security posting of 2026-01-08: Shanghai Zhendong Engineering Equipment Complete Institute, lathe operators 2 people, 6000—10000 yuan/month, junior high school; requires drawing reading and fine machining, experience operating ordinary lathes and boring machines, including maintenance and safety awareness. A single posting is not starting pay or a wage distribution, and the pay composition and whether it is still open this round are for the employer to verify.
Market signals
Insufficient evidence: precise national employment demand for lathe operators in China was not established this round; a single Shanghai posting does not stand in for the whole country. The new BLS precise 51-4034 period: 2025 employment 16,700 → 14,800 in 2035, a decline of 11.3%, net decrease 1,900; average annual openings 1,400, including replacement needs, not net new jobs. The detailed OOH line rounds the decline to 11%. O*NET is currently also on 2025—2035: employment 16,700 → 14,800, average annual openings 1,400; the historical old-period values in the shared register and the protected FAQ are not synchronized and are not used as the current projection. The Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security posting of 2026-01-08: Shanghai Zhendong Engineering Equipment Complete Institute, lathe operators 2 people, 6000—10000 yuan/month, junior high school; requires drawing reading and fine machining, experience operating ordinary lathes and boring machines, including maintenance and safety awareness. A single posting is not starting pay or a wage distribution, and the pay composition and whether it is still open this round are for the employer to verify. No precise national demand for China was established, and a single posting is not extrapolated.
O*NET U.S. sample: PPE100% every day, manual dexterity 63% continuously, indoors environmentally controlled 79% every day, standing 55% continuously, face-to-face discussions 42% every day; the work week is 40 hours for 59% and more than 40 for 41%. Accuracy 16% very important is a specific response band and does not lower the drawing tolerance requirement; noise 13% yearly but not monthly, 23% never, so it is not asserted that all positions have continuous noise. The broad BLS group is mostly full-time and may include evening and weekend shifts; employer rhythm is checked separately.
Fit signal | The work activities of O*NET 51-4034.00 center on controlling and operating equipment, monitoring processes, and checking quality. If you are willing to keep checking dimensions against the drawing and tolerance, can stand for long periods and perform fine hand movements, and are willing to follow safety rules in equipment noise and a chip environment, these daily demands are closer to your way of working; interest and personality tools are used only for designing exercises and cannot judge hiring qualifications or performance.
This is a work sample check, not a personality diagnosis or a hiring conclusion.
Judging suitability | First do the fixed path AB task: 19.95—20.05 mm, AB2 is 0.03 over the upper limit, and the other two are only within the simulated range; unknown calibration, a damaged guard, and no training mean no release. The path has the full prompt, reference answers, four works, and a seven-day plan.
The first things this job checks are: the objects (drawing and tolerance, bar stock and wire, the lathe with tooling and fixtures), the inputs (drawing and process, material and tool condition, setup and alignment results, measuring instrument calibration status), and the deliverables (conforming workpieces, first-article and sampling records, parameter and tool setting records, out-of-tolerance and rework notes). Anything unverified should be treated as pending verification, and experience or intuition cannot replace the drawing and measurement data.
To judge the work loop, look at four steps: input check (confirm the drawing, material, and setup status) → task definition (machine within the authorized and process scope, without changing key parameters or programs on your own) → execute and record (machine per the process, measure, and keep records) → review and escalate (stop the machine immediately and report for out-of-tolerance parts, chatter, tool anomalies, or doubtful programs). The loop holds only if the drawing, the measurements, and the equipment status are verifiable, not merely if the quantity was produced.
| Dimension | Primary track | Comparison track |
|---|---|---|
| Loop | Drawing, setup, machining, and measurement | |
| Step one | Read the drawing and confirm the material and process | |
| Step two | Set up and align the workpiece | |
| Step three | Install tooling and set parameters |
Objects of work | The objects are the drawing and process requirements, metal or plastic bar stock and wire, the lathe with tooling and fixtures, and measuring instruments and inspection standards, with turning work carried out within safety and authorization boundaries.
Checkable outputs | Conforming workpieces deliverable to the drawing and tolerance, first-article and sampling measurement records, tool and parameter setting records, out-of-tolerance and rework notes, and equipment inspection and chip clearing records; the results must be traceable to the drawing, the process, and the measurement data.
Complete workflow | After training and authorization: read the drawing and process → set up tooling and settings per the instructions → machine per the process → stop the machine to measure and recheck per the quality process → stop the machine to clear chips and perform approved maintenance; stop on anomalies and hand them to authorized personnel for verification.
Equipment authorization, programming authority, and authority to change key parameters are still verified by the employer and the applicable rules; training, skill level, hiring, and equipment authorization are different states.
The work objects of a lathe operator and the AI boundary Conventional CNC, CAM, and in-line monitoring are not the same as generative AI. This round obtained no generative AI adoption rate, efficiency gain, or wage causality for lathe operators; it may be trialed in fictional record organization, with the original records checked item by item, and it must not execute generated programs or change real parameters on model advice. Setup, measurement, safety, and authorization are still verified by the actual responsible person.
| Coil winders, tapers, and finishers direction | The core output is coil winding and taping and finishing. This occupation focuses on the dimensional precision of turned forms; the materials and processes differ and must be checked separately. |
| The core output is coil winding and taping and finishing. |
| Compare if you are willing to do coil work. |
| Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders | Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders direction | The core output is plastic forming of metal. This occupation focuses on removing material by cutting and controlling dimensional tolerance; the forming method and equipment differ, and the two cannot be applied to each other. | The core output is plastic forming of metal. | Compare if you are willing to do press forming. |
|---|
| Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders | Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders direction | The core output is rolled plate and structural shapes. This occupation focuses on single-piece or batch turning; the equipment and process control differ and must be checked separately. | The core output is rolled plate and structural shapes. | Compare if you are willing to do rolling forming. |
|---|
Adjacent occupations require filling in tool, qualification, and responsibility evidence separately.
Next, verify the direction with observable deliverables.
| Work area | Task | Current change | Human control point |
|---|
| Simulated record organization | Check the AB readings, the drawing number, and the pending items | Task trial | Only organize the AB1/2/3 simulated readings, and check whether AB2 being 0.03 out of tolerance and the instrument pending verification were missed; this is not a machining program or a parameter recommendation. | Check the original records and failure modes. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup and machining | Execute core tasks | Assist with information consolidation | Physical controls | Do not operate with a broken guard or without training; stop the machine before measuring or clearing chips, and a normal paper value cannot release a real workpiece. |
| Measurement and judgment | Key judgments | No automatic authorization | Measure after the machine has stopped; the instrument status and the real first article are checked by authorized personnel. |
| Safety and anomalies | Produce review records | May assist with organizing | The responsible person confirms the conclusion. |
Evidence note | The ILO global exposure research is not adoption for this occupation, and the NIST general risk framework is not a measurement; the O*NET hot technologies page is based on U.S. 2025 job postings and this round shows 0 software skills shown, which means the page lists no software and must not be interpreted as zero tools or zero AI use.
Difference note | Information organization may be compared on paper, and the effect must be measured in accuracy, omissions, and time; physical setup and measurement cannot be proven by text results.
AI primarily changesMay be trialed for organizing; no measured effect for this occupation yet
Human responsibility remainsResponsibility and authorization
AI primarily changesMeasurement and anomaly record drafts may be trialed; efficiency gains are not measured, and actual setup conformity must not be inferred
Human responsibility remainsOriginal record check
Chain of responsibility | Check the drawing number, instruments, authorization, and stop conditions; trace every model output back to the original AB readings, keep versions, and hand anomalies to the responsible person for verification.
Confirm the source, permissions, and version.
Assist only within known limits.
The responsible person reviews the output.
Stop immediately on anomalies and report.
Amplifies erroneous conclusions.
Control: Check the original materials.
Changes the responsibility boundary.
Control: Handle according to the authorization chain.
May miss exceptions.
Control: Retain human judgment.
Practice with reviewable work samples.
Keep process and failure records.
Define permissions and stop conditions first.
A job elimination date cannot be derived from task exposure; this page gives no substitution probability or timetable.
Source: Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational ExposureOriginal source ↗
No. Task exposure, organizational adoption, productivity change, and the number of jobs are four different measurement objects and cannot be derived from one another.
Source: Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational ExposureOriginal source ↗
O*NET lists sample measurement and specification conformity inspection as actual tasks; this page recommends tracing monitoring prompts back to the measured records, and the prompt itself must not be treated as evidence that a real first article conforms.
Source: Lathe And Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic 51-4034.00Original source ↗
Turning point | First practice tolerance and record checking, then trial tools in approved non-control steps, without promising efficiency gains.
No safe figure available yet
No safe figure available yet
No safe figure available yet
The three precise occupation wage placeholders are retained; industry averages and posting prices are listed separately in the notes and do not stand in for national percentiles.
| Position scope | Reference value | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Insufficient evidence: no safe mapping established (junior high school or below) | Verified according to employer and competent-authority rules | No national education-wage distribution was established; a single Shanghai posting requiring junior high school is not a national threshold. |
| Insufficient evidence: no safe mapping established (high school / secondary vocational) | Verified according to employer and competent-authority rules | No national education-wage distribution was established; a single Shanghai posting requiring junior high school is not a national threshold. |
| Insufficient evidence: no safe mapping established (associate degree) | Verified according to employer and competent-authority rules | No national education-wage distribution was established; a single Shanghai posting requiring junior high school is not a national threshold. |
| Insufficient evidence: no safe mapping established (other) | Verified according to the specific employer's requirements | No national education-wage distribution was established; a single Shanghai posting requiring junior high school is not a national threshold. |
No safe figure available yet
No safe figure available yet
No safe figure available yet
Insufficient evidence: the generative AI adoption rate, efficiency gains, and wage causality for lathe operators were not established this round. AI and wages | Conventional CNC, CAM, and in-line monitoring are not the same as generative AI. This round obtained no generative AI adoption rate, efficiency gain, or wage causality for lathe operators; it may be trialed in fictional record organization, with the original records checked item by item, and it must not execute generated programs or change real parameters on model advice. Setup, measurement, safety, and authorization are still verified by the actual responsible person. Pay composition, shifts, equipment experience, and skill level must be checked with the target employer, and it is not promised that AI will not change wages.
| Percentile | Annual reference | Official hourly wage | Explanation |
|---|
| Low percentile | 36,670 USD/year (10th percentile) | 17.63 USD/hour (hourly framing disclosed by O*NET) | A statistical position, not starting pay or personal take-home income. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | 50,620 USD/year (median) | 24.34 USD/hour (hourly framing disclosed by O*NET) | A statistical position, not starting pay or personal take-home income. |
| High percentile | 69,700 USD/year (90th percentile) | 33.51 USD/hour (hourly framing disclosed by O*NET) | A statistical position, not starting pay or personal take-home income. |
Wage · 10th percentile：36,670 USD/year (10th percentile)；National wages for 51-4034.00；BLS OEWS: wage definitions FAQ
Wage · 25th percentile：43,250 USD/year (25th percentile)；National wages for 51-4034.00；BLS OEWS: wage definitions FAQ
Wage · median：50,620 USD/year (median)；National wages for 51-4034.00；BLS OEWS: wage definitions FAQ
Wage · 75th percentile：60,700 USD/year (75th percentile)；National wages for 51-4034.00；BLS OEWS: wage definitions FAQ
Wage · 90th percentile：69,700 USD/year (90th percentile)；National wages for 51-4034.00；BLS OEWS: wage definitions FAQ
Not starting pay, after-tax pay, or personal take-home pay; employer wages exclude the self-employed.
Precise 51-4034 occupation; the manufacturing share is not a China or industry wage.
Wages are 2025, and the current projection is 2025—2035.
The market currency and covered population differ, so they are not spliced directly.
| Industry | Industry value | How to interpret |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | No safe figure available yet | 2025 U.S. precise occupation manufacturing 97%; no precise occupational wage for that industry was obtained. |
| Other industries together 3% (a difference) | No safe figure available yet | Industry wages are not listed separately, and no proxy figures are used. |
| Other industries not listed separately | No safe figure available yet | Not listed separately; no proxy figures are used. |
| Other industries not listed separately | No safe figure available yet | Not listed separately; no proxy figures are used. |
Verified according to the specific jurisdiction.
Verified according to position responsibility.
Must not be extrapolated across regions.
BLS51-4034 precise new period, not hiring scale, AI attribution, or a personal guarantee
BLS51-4034 precise new period, not hiring scale, AI attribution, or a personal guarantee
BLS51-4034 precise new period, not hiring scale, AI attribution, or a personal guarantee
Exercise actions： Exercise actions | AB paper exercise (about 40 minutes, entirely fictional, no lathe or tool operation): drawing AB-01 outer diameter 20.00±0.05 mm, with the boundary including the equal sign; three single simulated readings AB1=20.02, AB2=20.08, AB3=19.95 mm. The prompt also states that the instrument calibration status is unknown, the guard is damaged, and there is no equipment training; the draft wrongly says "all three are conforming, machining may continue". Only compute the range, list the out-of-tolerance and pending items, correct the draft, and write the unsent verification request, without setting speeds and feeds and without machining.
Which tasks make you willing to check the drawing number, tolerance, and units repeatedly?
Conclusion | The activity preference is closer to a combination of Realistic and Conventional (the O*NET interest code RC); but an interest code can only help design exercises and cannot judge hiring qualifications or performance.
Do not use it this way: Do not use the paper AB to prove real metrology, machining, or equipment operation ability.
Start the career interest exerciseCan you stop and check according to the process, rather than skipping instrument and guard problems to rush output?
Personality boundaries | This round established no predictive validity of personality scales for machining performance, and ability, hiring, or authorization is not inferred from labels; use the AB record feedback to keep checking.
Do not use it this way: Do not use the paper AB to prove real metrology, machining, or equipment operation ability.
Start the career interest exerciseAre you willing to keep every reading, basis, and revised version?
Conclusion | RIASEC or personality frameworks can only help raise questions and cannot replace this occupation's employer training, equipment authorization, and safety procedure requirements or actual machining performance evidence; no tool conclusion constitutes a hiring or qualification judgment.
Do not use it this way: Do not use the paper AB to prove real metrology, machining, or equipment operation ability.
Start the career interest exerciseWhen you find the instrument status is unknown, can you explain the pending items to the quality responsible person?
Observe whether, after feedback, you are willing to recheck the basis and revise; an Enneagram label must not be used to prove equipment ability.
Do not use it this way: Do not use the paper AB to prove real metrology, machining, or equipment operation ability.
Start the career interest exerciseDo you distinguish skill certificates, employer hiring, and actual equipment parameter authority?
Observe whether the units, upper and lower tolerance limits, and error calculations are consistent; do not infer actual machining ability from a single test score.
Do not use it this way: Do not use the paper AB to prove real metrology, machining, or equipment operation ability.
Start the career interest exerciseAfter finding a misjudgment, can you explain the cause and revise the record?
Observe whether you can clearly communicate out-of-tolerance and pending items and accept review; do not judge safety competence from an EQ label.
Do not use it this way: Do not use the paper AB to prove real metrology, machining, or equipment operation ability.
Start the career interest exerciseFits better when: Willing to check the machining content against the drawing and tolerance requirements.
Watch for: Understanding deviation causes batch scrap.
Fits better when: Willing to clamp according to the process and control overhang and support.
Watch for: Unstable setup causes the workpiece to fly out.
Fits better when: Willing to set speeds and feeds according to the process and track tool life.
Watch for: Changing key parameters on your own must be avoided.
Fits better when: Willing to measure by standard methods and perform first-article and sampling checks.
Watch for: Instruments and measurement methods must be reviewed.
Fits better when: Willing to check the guard and emergency stop and wear protective gear correctly.
Watch for: Clearing entangled chips with bare hands is prohibited.
Fits better when: Willing to stop and report on out-of-tolerance parts or equipment anomalies.
Watch for: Continuing to machine with a problem is not allowed.
Record the drawing reading, measurement record, or anomaly communication tasks you prefer.
Paper time cannot prove tolerance for standing, shifts, and the actual equipment environment.
Keep the drawing number, readings, calculation bases, and versions so others can trace them.
Keep the unknown instrument status and the damaged guard as pending items, stop the affected actual tasks, and refer them to the authorized responsible person.
Certificates, hiring, training, and specific equipment authority must be verified separately.
Look back at the basis of the misjudgment and keep the revision and feedback records.
Paper materials can only show record consistency; actual position ability is assessed separately under authorization.
Check the target employer's education, equipment experience, shifts, and training conditions before arranging approved learning.
How to reduce risk：First stop the machine and wait for it to come to a full stop, then clear chips or measure with suitable tools according to procedure; reaching in, measuring, or wearing gloves while running is prohibited; a broken guard means no continued operation, the motor power must be switched off before installing or removing attachments, and maintenance requires energy isolation per the equipment rules.
Evidence：CCOHS metalworking lathe safety guide · Lathe And Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic 51-4034.00
Typical scenario：Chuck or fixture not clamped, excessive overhang, insufficient support.
Roles most affected：Lathe operator
Possible consequence：May cause workpiece ejection and equipment damage.
How to reduce risk：Check the setup support, chuck wear, and key removal according to the equipment instructions and approved process; do not write manual turning of the chuck as a default step applicable to every machine type, and stop and hand unconfirmed conditions to authorized personnel for verification.
Evidence：CCOHS metalworking lathe safety guide · Lathe And Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic 51-4034.00
Typical scenario：Measurement method or instrument error, no first-article judgment, or failure to change the tool in time.
Roles most affected：Lathe operator
Possible consequence：May cause batch out-of-tolerance and scrap.
How to reduce risk：Measure after the machine has stopped, check instrument calibration and method and the drawing tolerance, and handle first articles and sampling according to the employer's quality process; a value within range does not by itself prove conformity or safety.
Evidence：CCOHS metalworking lathe safety guide · Lathe And Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic 51-4034.00
Typical scenario：Coolant splashing or degradation, chip buildup and cuts.
Roles most affected：Lathe operator
Possible consequence：May cause skin and respiratory discomfort and a slip risk.
How to reduce risk：Obtain the SDS for the specific machining fluid and check containment, maintenance, and ventilation; chemical-resistant gloves are used only in tasks assessed as not entangling in rotating parts, and skin or respiratory symptoms are reported and medically evaluated, without self-diagnosis.
Evidence：CCOHS metalworking fluid health and controls · Lathe And Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic 51-4034.00
Typical scenario：Changing speeds and feeds or programs on your own, or incorrect tool compensation settings.
Roles most affected：Lathe operator
Possible consequence：May cause a crash and equipment damage.
How to reduce risk：Parameter and program changes follow the process and authorization, and verification of the first run is performed by trained and authorized personnel according to the equipment instructions; a single block or dry run is not automatically safe, and the paper exercise provides no real speeds and feeds.
Evidence：CCOHS metalworking lathe safety guide · Lathe And Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic 51-4034.00
Typical scenario：Continuing to machine despite an out-of-tolerance part, chatter, tool anomaly, or doubtful program.
Roles most affected：Lathe operator
Possible consequence：May cause batch scrap and equipment damage.
How to reduce risk：First stop the machine and isolate it, and report the facts, impact, and open questions according to employer rules or hand them to authorized personnel.
Evidence：CCOHS metalworking lathe safety guide · Lathe And Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic 51-4034.00
Qualification boundaries | Education, skill level, courses, position hiring, and equipment and parameter authority are checked separately; the application conditions in a national standard are not a uniform employment license, and the O*NET certification directory does not grant equipment authority.
Typical scope：AB paper exercise (about 40 minutes, entirely fictional, no lathe or tool operation): drawing AB-01 outer diameter 20.00±0.05 mm, with the boundary including the equal sign; three single simulated readings AB1=20.02, AB2=20.08, AB3=19.95 mm. The prompt also states that the instrument calibration status is unknown, the guard is damaged, and there is no equipment training; the draft wrongly says "all three are conforming, machining may continue". Only compute the range, list the out-of-tolerance and pending items, correct the draft, and write the unsent verification request, without setting speeds and feeds and without machining.
Readiness evidence：AB reference answers and four works: first, the dimension table with the conforming range 19.95—20.05 mm; AB1 is within range only per the given value, AB2 is 0.03 mm above the upper limit, and AB3 equals the lower limit and is within range; second, the status sheet: the simulated value judgment is not a real first-article release, the instrument status is unknown and must be checked, and a damaged guard or lack of training means the machine must not be started; third, the unsent request lists the drawing version, instrument calibration, guard repair, and training authorization, to be handed to employer-authorized personnel for verification; fourth, the revised draft: "AB2 is out of tolerance by value, the others are only within the paper range; the actual measurement and the real conforming status of the three parts were not verified, and nothing was machined or released". Do not treat this exercise as proof of metrology ability or equipment authority.
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Seven-day plan, 20—30 minutes per day and paper only: D1 copy the drawing number, units, and tolerance; D2 compute the upper and lower limits and the 0.03 out-of-tolerance; D3 mark the unknown instrument status and the boundary value; D4 read the safety guide and list stopping to measure and clear chips, the guard, and training; D5 correct the erroneous draft and write the unsent request; D6 ask a peer to cross-check the equal sign and the pending items, then revise; D7 assemble the four works, and check the target employer's education, equipment experience, shifts, and pay composition. At the end there are only simulated works, and actual machining requires separate training and authorization.
Typical scope：AB is paper only; actual work separately requires training and authorization.
Readiness evidence：The AB four works and the real position are accepted separately; simulated readings do not prove actual ability.
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Transfer paths | Before transferring, first list the transferable abilities (drawing and tolerance comprehension, setup and alignment, tool and parameter setting, measurement and quality control, equipment inspection and safety), and then clarify the new position's qualifications and authorization evidence that must be filled in; moving to CNC programming, machine tool repair, or adjacent metalworking directions requires filling in each one's equipment, program, and authorization evidence.
Typical scope：AB is paper only; actual work separately requires training and authorization.
Readiness evidence：The AB four works and the real position are accepted separately; simulated readings do not prove actual ability.
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Check the target employer's requirements and stop conditions before taking on approved tasks.
Typical scope：AB is paper only; actual work separately requires training and authorization.
Readiness evidence：The AB four works and the real position are accepted separately; simulated readings do not prove actual ability.
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Check the target employer's requirements and stop conditions before taking on approved tasks.
Typical scope：Check quality against the drawing and process, and stop and hand anomalies to authorized personnel.
Readiness evidence：The AB four works and the real position are accepted separately; simulated readings do not prove actual ability.
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Check the target employer's requirements and stop conditions before taking on approved tasks.
Typical scope：Check quality against the drawing and process, and stop and hand anomalies to authorized personnel.
Readiness evidence：The AB four works and the real position are accepted separately; simulated readings do not prove actual ability.
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Check the target employer's requirements and stop conditions before taking on approved tasks.
Typical scope：Check quality against the drawing and process, and stop and hand anomalies to authorized personnel.
The AB four works and the real position are accepted separately; simulated readings do not prove actual ability.
Typical scope：New programming, repair, or mentoring duties require separate real evidence.
Readiness evidence：The AB four works and the real position are accepted separately; simulated readings do not prove actual ability.
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Check the target employer's requirements and stop conditions before taking on approved tasks.
Typical scope：New programming, repair, or mentoring duties require separate real evidence.
Readiness evidence：The AB four works and the real position are accepted separately; simulated readings do not prove actual ability.
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Check the target employer's requirements and stop conditions before taking on approved tasks.
Typical scope：New programming, repair, or mentoring duties require separate real evidence.
Readiness evidence：The AB four works and the real position are accepted separately; simulated readings do not prove actual ability.
Check drawing AB-01 tolerance and units.
Check the unknown instrument, the damaged guard, and the lack of training.
AB2 is 0.03 out of tolerance, and the other two are only within the simulated range.
Real machining separately requires training, authorization, and position acceptance.
United States · 51-4034 precise occupation
New-period employment outlook | The new BLS precise 51-4034 period: 2025 employment 16,700 → 14,800 in 2035, a decline of 11.3%, net decrease 1,900; average annual openings 1,400, including replacement needs, not net new jobs. The detailed OOH line rounds the decline to 11%. This is an overall employment projection, not AI attribution.
New-period employment projection
The new BLS precise 51-4034 period: 2025 employment 16,700 → 14,800 in 2035, a decline of 11.3%, net decrease 1,900; average annual openings 1,400, including replacement needs, not net new jobs. The detailed OOH line rounds the decline to 11%.
Does not establish：Periods and scopes are separate, and there is no AI attribution or personal guarantee.
United States · 51-4034 precise occupation
O*NET is currently also on 2025—2035: employment 16,700 → 14,800, average annual openings 1,400; the historical old-period values in the shared register and the protected FAQ are not synchronized and are not used as the current projection.
Current O*NET precise projection
O*NET is currently also on 2025—2035: employment 16,700 → 14,800, average annual openings 1,400; the historical old-period values in the shared register and the protected FAQ are not synchronized and are not used as the current projection.
Does not establish：Periods and scopes are separate, and there is no AI attribution or personal guarantee.
China, Shanghai · Zhendong Institute lathe operator
2 people, 6000—10000 yuan/month; current status not verified
Single-institution recruitment
The Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security posting of 2026-01-08: Shanghai Zhendong Engineering Equipment Complete Institute, lathe operators 2 people, 6000—10000 yuan/month, junior high school; requires drawing reading and fine machining, experience operating ordinary lathes and boring machines, including maintenance and safety awareness. A single posting is not starting pay or a wage distribution, and the pay composition and whether it is still open this round are for the employer to verify.
Does not establish：Periods and scopes are separate, and there is no AI attribution or personal guarantee.
These are capability relationships, not automatic promotions or credential waivers.
Transfers：Transferable abilities | The shared foundations across adjacent directions include: drawing and tolerance comprehension, setup and operation control, tool and parameter setting, measurement and quality control, and equipment inspection and safety; but each path must fill in the evidence corresponding to its new duties and equipment type.
Build next：Ability gaps | Moving to CNC programming, machine tool repair, or adjacent metalworking directions requires filling in each one's program authoring, equipment diagnosis, or forming process and authorization evidence; adjacent relationships are used only for direction comparison and do not represent automatic transfer or mutual recognition of qualifications.
View career profileTransfers：Reading work orders, dimension checking, process records, and equipment safety foundations; does not mean the forming process for that position is already held
Build next：Winding and taping processes
View career profileTransfers：Reading work orders, dimension checking, process records, and equipment safety foundations; does not mean the forming process for that position is already held
Build next：Forging temperature and die control
View career profileTransfers：Reading work orders, dimension checking, process records, and equipment safety foundations; does not mean the forming process for that position is already held
Build next：Rolling mill and plate shape control
View career profileTransfers：Reading work orders, dimension checking, process records, and equipment safety foundations; does not mean the forming process for that position is already held
Build next：Stamping safety and die setup
View career profileTransfers：Industrial machinery mechanic repair specialty, the same as the first target, not a sixth independent occupation
Build next：Mechanical diagnosis and repair skills
View career profileThis occupation focuses on lathe turning and controlling dimensional tolerance. Industrial machinery mechanics handle equipment installation, diagnosis, and repair, coil winders handle coil winding and taping, forging machine operators handle plastic forming of metal, rolling machine operators handle rolled plate and structural shapes, and stamping and shearing machine operators handle punching and shearing forming. Judgment should be based on the machining method, equipment type, and responsibility boundaries, not on job titles alone.
The fit signal is a willingness to keep checking dimensions against the drawing and tolerance, being able to stand for long periods and perform fine hand movements, a willingness to follow safety rules in equipment noise and a chip environment, and stopping and reporting on out-of-tolerance parts or equipment anomalies. Interest and personality tools can only help design exercises and cannot judge hiring qualifications or performance.
Insufficient evidence: the generative AI adoption rate, efficiency gains, and wage causality for lathe operators were not established this round. Conventional CNC, CAM, and in-line monitoring are not the same as generative AI. This round obtained no generative AI adoption rate, efficiency gain, or wage causality for lathe operators; it may be trialed in fictional record organization, with the original records checked item by item, and it must not execute generated programs or change real parameters on model advice. Setup, measurement, safety, and authorization are still verified by the actual responsible person. The O*NET hot technologies page is based on U.S. 2025 job postings and this round shows 0 software skills shown, which means the page lists no software and must not be interpreted as zero tools or zero AI use.
First stop the machine and wait for it to come to a full stop, then clear chips or measure with suitable tools according to procedure; reaching in, measuring, or wearing gloves while running is prohibited; a broken guard means no continued operation, the motor power must be switched off before installing or removing attachments, and maintenance requires energy isolation per the equipment rules. Measure after the machine has stopped, check instrument calibration and method and the drawing tolerance, and handle first articles and sampling according to the employer's quality process; a value within range does not by itself prove conformity or safety.
Insufficient evidence: this round established no Chinese national lathe operator wage percentile or starting pay precisely corresponding to U.S. 51-4034.00. The related manufacturing 2025 urban non-private 113,594 and private 76,055 yuan/year are pretax annual averages excluding the self-employed and freelancers, listed separately and not spliced into a wage range; manufacturing covers multiple occupations and can serve as industry background but does not stand in for the lathe operator median. The Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security posting of 2026-01-08: Shanghai Zhendong Engineering Equipment Complete Institute, lathe operators 2 people, 6000—10000 yuan/month, junior high school; requires drawing reading and fine machining, experience operating ordinary lathes and boring machines, including maintenance and safety awareness. A single posting is not starting pay or a wage distribution, and the pay composition and whether it is still open this round are for the employer to verify.
In 2025 the U.S. annual wages at the 10/25/50/75/90 percentiles were 36,670, 43,250, 50,620, 60,700, and 69,700 USD; the official hourly wages were 17.63, 20.79, 24.34, 29.18, and 33.51 USD. OEWS covers employer regular pretax wages and includes incentive pay and production bonuses, excludes overtime pay, non-production bonuses, employer benefits, and the self-employed; percentiles are not starting pay, personal take-home pay, or a guarantee of full-year income.
O*NET Job Zone1—2 general description: usually high school/GED, not required for some; experience from several months to a year or little, on-the-job training from a few days to a year, SVP<6. The precise BLS description for this occupation is typically high school or equivalent with moderate-term on-the-job training; the two are at different description levels and do not promise independent operation within days. The Chinese 2018 lathe operator skill standard 6-18-01-01 is defined as operating a lathe to cut the rotating surface of a workpiece; level five junior worker through level one senior technician, with ordinary education at junior high school or equivalent. The standard's assessment conditions, employer recruitment, and equipment authorization are checked separately, and it is not written as a uniform national certificate requirement. The Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security posting of 2026-01-08: Shanghai Zhendong Engineering Equipment Complete Institute, lathe operators 2 people, 6000—10000 yuan/month, junior high school; requires drawing reading and fine machining, experience operating ordinary lathes and boring machines, including maintenance and safety awareness. A single posting is not starting pay or a wage distribution, and the pay composition and whether it is still open this round are for the employer to verify.
First stop the machine and wait for it to come to a full stop, then clear chips or measure with suitable tools according to procedure; reaching in, measuring, or wearing gloves while running is prohibited; a broken guard means no continued operation, the motor power must be switched off before installing or removing attachments, and maintenance requires energy isolation per the equipment rules. Obtain the SDS for the specific machining fluid and check containment, maintenance, and ventilation; chemical-resistant gloves are used only in tasks assessed as not entangling in rotating parts, and skin or respiratory symptoms are reported and medically evaluated, without self-diagnosis. Parameter and program changes follow the process and authorization, and verification of the first run is performed by trained and authorized personnel according to the equipment instructions; a single block or dry run is not automatically safe, and the paper exercise provides no real speeds and feeds.
The new BLS precise 51-4034 period: 2025 employment 16,700 → 14,800 in 2035, a decline of 11.3%, net decrease 1,900; average annual openings 1,400, including replacement needs, not net new jobs. The detailed OOH line rounds the decline to 11%. O*NET still lists the old period 2024 employment 18,900 → 16,400 in 2034, a decline of 14%, average annual openings 1,500; the new and old base periods differ, so they are listed separately and not added. The Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security posting of 2026-01-08: Shanghai Zhendong Engineering Equipment Complete Institute, lathe operators 2 people, 6000—10000 yuan/month, junior high school; requires drawing reading and fine machining, experience operating ordinary lathes and boring machines, including maintenance and safety awareness. A single posting is not starting pay or a wage distribution, and the pay composition and whether it is still open this round are for the employer to verify.
AB paper exercise (about 40 minutes, entirely fictional, no lathe or tool operation): drawing AB-01 outer diameter 20.00±0.05 mm, with the boundary including the equal sign; three single simulated readings AB1=20.02, AB2=20.08, AB3=19.95 mm. The prompt also states that the instrument calibration status is unknown, the guard is damaged, and there is no equipment training; the draft wrongly says "all three are conforming, machining may continue". Only compute the range, list the out-of-tolerance and pending items, correct the draft, and write the unsent verification request, without setting speeds and feeds and without machining. AB reference answers and four works: first, the dimension table with the conforming range 19.95—20.05 mm; AB1 is within range only per the given value, AB2 is 0.03 mm above the upper limit, and AB3 equals the lower limit and is within range; second, the status sheet: the simulated value judgment is not a real first-article release, the instrument status is unknown and must be checked, and a damaged guard or lack of training means the machine must not be started; third, the unsent request lists the drawing version, instrument calibration, guard repair, and training authorization, to be handed to employer-authorized personnel for verification; fourth, the revised draft: "AB2 is out of tolerance by value, the others are only within the paper range; the actual measurement and the real conforming status of the three parts were not verified, and nothing was machined or released". Do not treat this exercise as proof of metrology ability or equipment authority. Seven-day plan, 20—30 minutes per day and paper only: D1 copy the drawing number, units, and tolerance; D2 compute the upper and lower limits and the 0.03 out-of-tolerance; D3 mark the unknown instrument status and the boundary value; D4 read the safety guide and list stopping to measure and clear chips, the guard, and training; D5 correct the erroneous draft and write the unsent request; D6 ask a peer to cross-check the equal sign and the pending items, then revise; D7 assemble the four works, and check the target employer's education, equipment experience, shifts, and pay composition. At the end there are only simulated works, and actual machining requires separate training and authorization.
China, U.S., global, and specific-jurisdiction evidence are stated separately; wage, employment, qualification, safety, and AI conclusions must not be spliced across scopes. The lathe operator page provides career decision and safety exercise information and does not constitute legal or safety advice, nor does it replace local safety procedures, employer rules, or other professional advice. Any "insufficient evidence" means only that no safe data was established after a bounded search, and proxy values or model memory must not be used to fabricate numbers. This page covers only the precise O*NET-SOC 51-4034.00 occupation "Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic".
FermatMind research workflow
O*NET current occupation profile; retrieved 2026-08-31
Lathe And Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic 51-4034.00
Limitations：Not an adoption rate, performance, or substitution probability.
Limitations：Not hiring scale or a hiring guarantee.
Limitations：Does not replace employer procedures, local law, or case-by-case judgment.
Limitations：Related manufacturing industry reference only; the two unit types are not spliced into a wage range.
Limitations：Not equal to employer hiring or statutory licensing.
Limitations：U.S. occupational scope; does not set Chinese qualifications.
Limitations：The summary must be interpreted together with the detailed occupation scope.
Limitations：Classification adjacency does not mean authority is interchangeable.
Limitations：When there are no figures, it supports only unavailability or a narrow framing boundary.
Limitations：When there are no figures, it supports only the unavailability boundary.
Limitations：Applies only to this O*NET occupation and the U.S. market; does not establish a China mapping, Chinese wages, or a qualification conclusion.
Limitations：Applies only to this O*NET occupation and the U.S. market; does not establish a China mapping, Chinese wages, or a qualification conclusion.
Limitations：Not showing software is not zero use or zero AI adoption; it is not a measured effect for this occupation.
Limitations：Applies only to this O*NET occupation and the U.S. market; does not establish a China mapping, Chinese wages, or a qualification conclusion.
Limitations：Applies only to this O*NET occupation and the U.S. market; does not establish a China mapping, Chinese wages, or a qualification conclusion.
Limitations：Applies only to this O*NET occupation and the U.S. market; does not establish a China mapping, Chinese wages, or a qualification conclusion.
Limitations：BLS OEWS wage data presented by O*NET OnLine; the period, employment population, geography, and unit of measurement are retained.
Limitations：Applies only to this O*NET occupation and the U.S. market; does not establish a China mapping, Chinese wages, or a qualification conclusion.
Limitations：General methodology or research; does not provide AI adoption, measured efficiency gains, wage causality, or qualifications for this occupation.
Limitations：General methodology or research; does not provide AI adoption, measured efficiency gains, wage causality, or qualifications for this occupation.
Limitations：General methodology or research; does not provide AI adoption, measured efficiency gains, wage causality, or qualifications for this occupation.
Limitations：U.S. precise occupation; does not infer Chinese demand, individual employment probability, or an AI substitution rate.
Limitations：The detailed occupational line and the metal and plastic machine tool worker combined group are kept separate, with no AI attribution.
Limitations：A Canadian technical guide, not Chinese regulation or an operating permit for every machine type.
Limitations：Not an individual diagnosis; chemical-resistant gloves must not introduce a rotating entrapment hazard.
Limitations：The skill standard and assessment conditions do not prove that a certificate is universally required nationwide; there is no one-to-one mutual recognition with the U.S. code.
Limitations：A single posting price is not a national distribution or take-home pay; current job information prevails, and this round did not confirm that it is still open; the web page body text was obtained, and the local download returned 403.
Limitations：U.S. adjacent occupation duties, not a transfer authorization.
Limitations：Different from turning processes; no automatic transfer.
Source note | O*NET identity RC/JobZone and the 2025 industry manufacturing 97% and the 2025 five wage percentiles are retained; BLS2025—2035 precise decline 11.3% / average annual 1400 and the current O*NET framing match; the old-period facts and the FAQ are protected and not synchronized. The OEWS bonus and self-employment framing follows the official method. The Chinese skill standard 6-18-01-01 does not map one-to-one to the United States; the NBS manufacturing non-private 113594 / private 76055 are related-industry pretax annual averages and do not stand in for precise wages; the Shanghai posting monthly pay of 6000—10000 is only a sample, and the vacancy this round was not verified. CCOHS is a technical guide, not Chinese regulation, and stop-to-measure and chip clearing, glove entanglement, and machining fluid protection are handled separately. ILO/NIST are general, and the hot page listing no software is not equal to zero use. The AB fixed prompt, answers, four works, and seven days are paper only, with no machining and no release. The shared BLS OOH scope mislabeled as Grounds Maintenance Workers is consumed and protected by the direction comparison and the FAQ, and the local note covers the metal and plastic machine tool worker broad group without overriding the shared entry.
| Step four | Machine and measure dimensions |
|---|
| Step five | Correct and check the surface and tolerance |
|---|
| Step six | Clean up and maintain the equipment |
|---|
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Check the target employer's requirements and stop conditions before taking on approved tasks.
Typical scope：Check quality against the drawing and process, and stop and hand anomalies to authorized personnel.
Readiness evidence：The AB four works and the real position are accepted separately; simulated readings do not prove actual ability.
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Check the target employer's requirements and stop conditions before taking on approved tasks.
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Check the target employer's requirements and stop conditions before taking on approved tasks.
Typical scope：New programming, repair, or mentoring duties require separate real evidence.
Readiness evidence：The AB four works and the real position are accepted separately; simulated readings do not prove actual ability.
Credential boundary：Skill level, training, and equipment operation authority are checked separately.
Next moves：Check the target employer's requirements and stop conditions before taking on approved tasks.