Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Set up, operate, or tend machines that cut textiles.
9,000 people do this job in the US. $38,760 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 14%
- 3%
- 83%
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, 2%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 12%. Today's estimate: 13%.
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 . 18 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place patterns on top of layers of fabric and cut fabric following patterns, using electric or manual knives, cutters, or computer numerically controlled cutting devices.Done daily by most who do it. | 14% | 38 min13 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Start machines, monitor operations, and make adjustments as needed.Done daily by most who do it. | 13% | 25 min8 min to 1.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Operate machines to cut multiple layers of fabric into parts for articles such as canvas goods, house furnishings, garments, hats, or stuffed toys.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 11% | 50 min17 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Install, level, and align components, such as gears, chains, guides, dies, cutters, or needles, to set up machinery for operation.Done daily by most who do it. | 10% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Program electronic equipment.Done daily by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 9% | 38 min13 min to 2.5 h | 86%Half by now | |
| Inspect products to ensure that the quality standards and specifications are met.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 13 min4 min to 38 min | Stays with people | |
| Adjust cutting techniques to types of fabrics and styles of garments.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 21 min8 min to 42 min | Stays with people | |
| Thread yarn, thread, or fabric through guides, needles, and rollers of machines.Done daily by most who do it. | 5% | 13 min4 min to 38 min | Stays with people | |
| Adjust machine controls, such as heating mechanisms, tensions, or speeds, to produce specified products.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 13 min4 min to 33 min | Stays with people | |
| Inspect machinery to determine whether repairs are needed.Done daily by most who do it. | 3% | 17 min8 min to 38 min | Stays with people | |
| Repair or replace worn or defective parts or components, using hand tools.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 3% | 38 min17 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Record information about work completed and machine settings.Done daily by most who do it. | 3% | 8 min4 min to 17 min | 100%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.
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders7% now, 7% by 2028
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders0% now, 0% 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
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic7% now, 7% by 2028
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand5% now, 5% by 2028
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).