Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Also called: Automatic Forging Machine Operator, Blacksmith, Board Hammer Operator, Bolt Machine Operator, Drop Forge Operator, Drop Forger, Drop Hammer Set Up Operator, Drophammer Operator
Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.
What Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic do
Typical tasks
- Start machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conform to specifications.
- Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.
- Confer with other workers about machine setups and operational specifications.
- Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
- Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.
- 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.
- Trim and compress finished forgings to specified tolerances.
- Install, adjust, and remove dies, synchronizing cams, forging hammers, and stop guides, using overhead cranes or other hoisting devices, and hand tools.
- Remove dies from machines when production runs are finished.
- Select, align, and bolt positioning fixtures, stops, and specified dies to rams and anvils, forging rolls, or presses and hammers.
- Repair, maintain, and replace parts on dies.
- Position and move metal wires or workpieces through a series of dies that compress and shape stock to form die impressions.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary
The median annual wage for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $49,030 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $36,800 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $68,720. The mean annual wage is $51,680.
The mean hourly wage of $24.00 is 3.3× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $49,030 → in 3 years $52,400 → in 5 years $54,800 → in 10 years $61,200 (10-year range $52,600–$71,000). The model assumes pay growth of +2.2% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic United States | 鍛造工/鍛造設備オペレーター Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $49,030 | ¥5.07M ≈ $32,273 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $61,200 | ¥6.39M |
| Outlook score | 27 | 52 |
| AI replacement risk | 45% Moderate | 53% Moderate |
| Workers | 8,930 | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.