Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Set up, operate, or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill, or countersink metal or plastic work pieces.
4,680 people do this job in the US. $49,080 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 12%
- 0%
- 88%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 1%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 12%. Today's estimate: 12%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 17 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study machining instructions, job orders, or blueprints to determine dimensional or finish specifications, sequences of operations, setups, or tooling requirements.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 12% | 21 min8 min to 38 min | 100%Half by now | |
| Verify conformance of machined work to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, micrometers, or fixed or telescoping gauges.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 11% | 13 min4 min to 29 min | Stays with people | |
| Select and set cutting speeds, feed rates, depths of cuts, and cutting tools, according to machining instructions or knowledge of metal properties.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 11% | 21 min8 min to 42 min | Stays with people | |
| Position and secure workpieces on tables, using bolts, jigs, clamps, shims, or other holding devices.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 9% | 21 min8 min to 50 min | Stays with people | |
| Observe drilling or boring machine operations to detect any problems.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 7% | 13 min4 min to 38 min | Stays with people | |
| Verify that workpiece reference lines are parallel to the axis of table rotation, using dial indicators mounted in spindles.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 21 min8 min to 33 min | Stays with people | |
| Establish zero reference points on workpieces, such as at the intersections of two edges or over hole locations.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 7% | 13 min4 min to 25 min | Stays with people | |
| Perform minor assembly, such as fastening parts with nuts, bolts, or screws, using power tools or hand tools.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 21 min8 min to 42 min | Stays with people | |
| Operate single- or multiple-spindle drill presses to bore holes so that machining operations can be performed on metal or plastic workpieces.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 6% | 25 min8 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Lay out reference lines and machining locations on work, using layout tools, and applying knowledge of shop math and layout techniques.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 5% | 33 min13 min to 50 min | Stays with people | |
| Lift workpieces onto work tables either manually or with hoists or direct crane operators to lift and position workpieces.Done daily by most who do it. | 5% | 13 min4 min to 33 min | Stays with people | |
| Change worn cutting tools, using wrenches.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 4% | 8 min4 min to 21 min | Stays with people |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic18% now, 18% by 2028
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic30% now, 38% by 2028
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing7% now, 7% by 2028
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic18% now, 18% by 2028
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners6% now, 6% by 2028
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic7% now, 7% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
- Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing620 people
- Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)500 people
- Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)490 people
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing460 people
- Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing390 people
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).