National
| Median wages (2008) |
$13.65 hourly, $28,380 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
42,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Decline rapidly (-10% or lower)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
12,000 additional employees |
51-4193.00 - Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
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. Includes electrolytic processes.
Sample of reported job titles:
Plater, Line Operator, Coater Operator, Machine Operator, Anodizer, Anodizing Line Operator, Chrome Plater, Coater Associate, Electro Plater, Hard Chrome Plater
Tasks
- Inspect coated or plated areas for defects such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
- Immerse objects to be coated or plated into cleaning solutions, or spray objects with conductive solutions to prepare them for plating.
- Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
- 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.
- Position and feed materials into processing machines, by hand or by using automated equipment.
- Test machinery to ensure that it is operating properly.
- Operate hoists to place workpieces onto machine feed carriages or spindles.
- Maintain production records.
- Adjust controls to set temperatures of coating substances and speeds of machines and equipment.
- Remove objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observe objects to verify conformance to specifications.
| 51-2021.00 |
Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers |
| 51-3093.00 |
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders |
| 51-4072.00 |
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic |
| 51-5023.00 |
Printing Machine Operators |
| 51-6091.00 |
Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers |
| 51-9012.00 |
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 
|
| 51-9051.00 |
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders |
| 51-9191.00 |
Cementing and Gluing Machine Operators and Tenders |
| 51-9192.00 |
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders |
| 51-9196.00 |
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders |
