# Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

> Set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.

- Code: 51-4034.00 (O*NET-SOC; SOC 2018 51-4034)
- Family: [Production](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations#family-51), one of its 114 occupations
- Tasks: 18 tasks (18 core)
- Page: https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/51-4034.00
- JSON: https://foundation.org.ai/data/tasks/51-4034.00.json

## What the work is made of

1. Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances.  
   Core task · Task 11993 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
2. Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces.  
   Core task · Task 11994 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
3. Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material requirements and operational sequences.  
   Core task · Task 11992 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
4. Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators.  
   Core task · Task 11991 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
5. Replace worn tools, and sharpen dull cutting tools and dies, using bench grinders or cutter-grinding machines.  
   Core task · Task 11999 · Rated by 68 people who do the job, August 2024
6. Move toolholders manually or by turning handwheels, or engage automatic feeding mechanisms to feed tools to and along workpieces.  
   Core task · Task 12003 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
7. Compute unspecified dimensions and machine settings, using knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.  
   Core task · Task 12001 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
8. Crank machines through cycles, stopping to adjust tool positions and machine controls to ensure specified timing, clearances, and tolerances.  
   Core task · Task 11997 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
9. Position, secure, and align cutting tools in toolholders on machines, using hand tools, and verify their positions with measuring instruments.  
   Core task · Task 12000 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
10. Start lathe or turning machines and observe operations to ensure that specifications are met.  
   Core task · Task 11995 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
11. Program computer numerical control machines.  
   Core task · Task 23998 · Rated by 67 people who do the job, August 2024
12. Refill, change, and monitor the level of fluids, such as oil and coolant, in machines.  
   Core task · Task 20923 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
13. Clean work area.  
   Core task · Task 23999 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
14. Lift metal stock or workpieces manually or using hoists, and position and secure them in machines, using fasteners and hand tools.  
   Core task · Task 11998 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
15. Install holding fixtures, cams, gears, and stops to control stock and tool movement, using hand tools, power tools, and measuring instruments.  
   Core task · Task 12002 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
16. Select cutting tools and tooling instructions, according to written specifications or knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.  
   Core task · Task 11996 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
17. Mount attachments, such as relieving or tracing attachments, to perform operations, such as duplicating contours of templates or trimming workpieces.  
   Core task · Task 12005 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024
18. Turn valve handles to direct the flow of coolant onto work areas or to coat disks with spinning compounds.  
   Core task · Task 12004 · Rated by 69 people who do the job, August 2024

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## Where this comes from

Quoted from O*NET 29.0, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0: free to copy and reuse, with credit. Nothing on this page is written by the Org.AI Foundation.
