Will AI replace Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
AI reaches little of this job’s work.
6/100
Low exposure
More exposed to AI than 12% of US workers.
- AI already used in
- 0% of the work
- As AI tools mature: up to
- 12% of the work
What the job involves
Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.
Where AI reaches the work
The job’s main tasks, heaviest first, by how far AI reaches them.
Within reach(1)
- Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.
Out of reach(11)
- Start machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conform to specifications.
- Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.
- Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
- Confer with other workers about machine setups and operational specifications.
- Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, piercing, or other operations to taper, shape, or form metal.
and 6 more
Also called
Forge Operator · Forger · Header Operator · Hammer Operator · Forging Press Operator · Heavy Forger · Multi Operation Machine Operator · Board Hammer Operator
Related jobs
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic2/100
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing3/100
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic12/100
- Tool and Die Makers10/100
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic3/100
What these numbers mean
The score is the share of this job’s work, weighted by how important and frequent each task is, that AI could do in half the time: tasks an AI model could do alone count in full, tasks that need software built on AI count half.
“AI already used” is the share of the work in tasks where people are recorded using AI today. “As AI tools mature” counts every task AI could halve, with or without extra software.
The percentile compares the score with every job’s, weighted by how many people in the US do each one. Exposure means AI could change how the work is done, not that the job goes away. These are estimates for the typical job, not predictions.
Sources
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
- GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs (task labels), Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), OpenAI and University of Pennsylvania
- Anthropic Economic Index: labor market impacts (task penetration), Anthropic
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national and metropolitan areas), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics