Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend plating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Typically, the product being coated is immersed in molten metal or an electrolytic solution.

Also Known As:

Anodizer Anodizing Line Operator Chrome Plater Coater Associate Coater Operator Electro Plater Galvanizer Line Operator Machine Operator Plater

Wages

Hourly

Annual wages for Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in United States

Job Outlook Below Average

New job opportunities are less likely in the future

United States 2034 Projected Employment

27,400

-14% Change From 2024

Explore Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators video

Tasks you might complete in a day.

Immerse objects to be coated or plated into cleaning solutions, or spray objects with conductive solutions to prepare them for plating.
Position objects to be plated in frames, or suspend them from positive or negative terminals of power supplies.
Operate hoists to place workpieces onto machine feed carriages or spindles.
Replace worn parts and adjust equipment components, using hand tools.
Monitor and measure thicknesses of electroplating on component parts to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers.
Clean workpieces, using wire brushes.
Clean and maintain equipment, using water hoses and scrapers.
Position containers to receive parts, and load or unload materials in containers, using dollies or handtrucks.
Measure and set stops, rolls, brushes, and guides on automatic feeders and conveying equipment or coating machines, using micrometers, rules, and hand tools.
Place plated or coated materials on racks and transfer them to ovens to dry for specified periods of time.
Inspect coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
Examine completed objects to determine thicknesses of metal deposits, or measure thicknesses by using instruments such as micrometers.
Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
Position containers to receive parts, and load or unload materials in containers, using dollies or handtrucks.
Adjust controls to set temperatures of coating substances and speeds of machines and equipment.
Preheat workpieces in ovens.
Perform equipment maintenance, such as cleaning tanks and lubricating moving parts of conveyors.
Operate sandblasting equipment to roughen and clean surfaces of workpieces.
Perform equipment maintenance, such as cleaning tanks and lubricating moving parts of conveyors.
Remove objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observe objects to verify conformance to specifications.
Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces.
Rinse coated objects in cleansing liquids and dry them with cloths, centrifugal driers, or by tumbling in sawdust-filled barrels.
Immerse objects to be coated or plated into cleaning solutions, or spray objects with conductive solutions to prepare them for plating.
Suspend objects, such as parts or molds from cathode rods, or negative terminals, and immerse objects in plating solutions.
Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales.
Determine sizes and compositions of objects to be plated, and amounts of electrical current and time required.
Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
Test machinery to ensure that it is operating properly.
Maintain production records.
Measure, mark, and mask areas to be excluded from plating.
Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
Position and feed materials into processing machines, by hand or by using automated equipment.
Suspend sticks or pieces of plating metal from anodes, or positive terminals, and immerse metal in plating solutions.
Read production schedules to determine setups of equipment and machines.
Mix and test solutions, and turn valves to fill tanks with solutions.
Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
Mix and test solutions, and turn valves to fill tanks with solutions.
Perform equipment maintenance, such as cleaning tanks and lubricating moving parts of conveyors.
Clean and maintain equipment, using water hoses and scrapers.

Subject areas you may need to master.

English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Foreign Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

Strengths you may need in this role.

Critical Thinking - Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Equipment Maintenance - Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Active Listening - Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Quality Control Analysis - Testing how well a product or service works.
Science - Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Programming - Writing computer programs.
Operation and Control - Using equipment or systems.
Mathematics - Using math to solve problems.
Speaking - Talking to others.
Monitoring - Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Persuasion - Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Troubleshooting - Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Management of Financial Resources - Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Active Learning - Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Negotiation - Bringing people together to solve differences.
Instructing - Teaching people how to do something.
Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Management of Personnel Resources - Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Judgment and Decision Making - Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Management of Material Resources - Managing equipment and materials.
Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Systems Evaluation - Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Reading Comprehension - Reading work-related information.
Writing - Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Learning Strategies - Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Social Perceptiveness - Understanding people's reactions.
Coordination - Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Systems Analysis - Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Time Management - Managing your time and the time of other people.
Service Orientation - Looking for ways to help people.
Complex Problem Solving - Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Operations Analysis - Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Technology Design - Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Equipment Selection - Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Installation - Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Peripheral Vision - Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Trunk Strength - Using your lower back and stomach.
Gross Body Equilibrium - Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Extent Flexibility - Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Far Vision - Seeing details that are far away.
Oral Comprehension - Listening and understanding what people say.
Perceptual Speed - Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Inductive Reasoning - Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Speed of Closure - Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Time Sharing - Doing two or more things at the same time.
Problem Sensitivity - Noticing when problems happen.
Number Facility - Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Static Strength - Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Explosive Strength - Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Fluency of Ideas - Coming up with lots of ideas.
Originality - Creating new and original ideas.
Flexibility of Closure - Seeing hidden patterns.
Multilimb Coordination - Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Reaction Time - Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Visual Color Discrimination - Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Auditory Attention - Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Manual Dexterity - Holding or moving items with your hands.
Sound Localization - Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Speech Recognition - Recognizing spoken words.
Speech Clarity - Speaking clearly.
Stamina - Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Depth Perception - Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Memorization - Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Selective Attention - Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Dynamic Strength - Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Gross Body Coordination - Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Written Comprehension - Reading and understanding what is written.
Information Ordering - Ordering or arranging things.
Spatial Orientation - Knowing where things are around you.
Night Vision - Seeing at night or under low light.
Written Expression - Communicating by writing.
Deductive Reasoning - Using rules to solve problems.
Visualization - Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Control Precision - Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Response Orientation - Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Rate Control - Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Wrist-Finger Speed - Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Speed of Limb Movement - Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Dynamic Flexibility - Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Hearing Sensitivity - Telling the difference between sounds.
Glare Sensitivity - Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Finger Dexterity - Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Near Vision - Seeing details up close.
Oral Expression - Communicating by speaking.
Category Flexibility - Grouping things in different ways.
Mathematical Reasoning - Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Arm-Hand Steadiness - Keeping your arm or hand steady.