Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, milling and engraving machines, and jig borers to make working models of metal or plastic objects. Includes template makers.
2,610 people do this job in the US. $63,340 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 22%
- 1%
- 77%
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, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 16%. Today's estimate: 18%.
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 . 16 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devise and construct tools, dies, molds, jigs, and fixtures, or modify existing tools and equipment.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 15% | 4.2 h1.7 h to 2.1 work days | Stays with people | |
| Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, drill presses, punch presses, or bandsaws, to fabricate prototypes or models.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 15% | 1.7 h25 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Program computer numerical control (CNC) machines to fabricate model parts.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 12% | 1.7 h38 min to 4.2 h | 72%Half by now | |
| Cut, shape, and form metal parts, using lathes, power saws, snips, power brakes and shears, files, and mallets.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 11% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Use computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software or hardware to fabricate model parts.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 9% | 2.5 h50 min to 6.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Study blueprints, drawings, and sketches to determine material dimensions, required equipment, and operations sequences.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 7% | 38 min17 min to 1.7 h | 98%Half by now | |
| Inspect and test products to verify conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments or circuit testers.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 6% | 38 min13 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Align, fit, and join parts, using bolts and screws or by welding or gluing.Done daily by most who do it. | 5% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Grind, file, and sand parts to finished dimensions.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 5% | 50 min17 min to 2.1 h | Stays with people | |
| Drill, countersink, and ream holes in parts and assemblies for bolts, screws, and other fasteners, using power tools.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 4% | 38 min13 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Rework or alter component model or parts as required to ensure that products meet standards.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 50 min17 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Record specifications, production operations, and final dimensions of models for use in establishing operating standards and procedures.Done daily by most who do it. | 3% | 38 min13 min to 1.3 h | 98%Half by now |
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.
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).