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Career Details

51-4041.00 - Machinists


Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
399,700
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
438,900
Estimate
Change in Employment
+39,200
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+9.8%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Machine parts to specifications, using machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, shapers, or grinders.
  • Measure, examine, or test completed units to check for defects and ensure conformance to specifications, using precision instruments, such as micrometers.
  • Align and secure holding fixtures, cutting tools, attachments, accessories, or materials onto machines.
  • Monitor the feed and speed of machines during the machining process.
  • Lay out, measure, and mark metal stock to display placement of cuts.
  • Check work pieces to ensure that they are properly lubricated or cooled.
  • Operate equipment to verify operational efficiency.
  • Program computers or electronic instruments, such as numerically controlled machine tools.
  • Confer with engineering, supervisory, or manufacturing personnel to exchange technical information.
  • Confer with numerical control programmers to check and ensure that new programs or machinery will function properly and that output will meet specifications.
  • Fit and assemble parts to make or repair machine tools.
  • Design fixtures, tooling, or experimental parts to meet special engineering needs.
  • Dispose of scrap or waste material in accordance with company policies and environmental regulations.
  • Separate scrap waste and related materials for reuse, recycling, or disposal.
  • Calculate dimensions or tolerances, using instruments, such as micrometers or vernier calipers.
  • Set up, adjust, or operate basic or specialized machine tools used to perform precision machining operations.
  • Maintain machine tools in proper operational condition.
  • Study sample parts, blueprints, drawings, or engineering information to determine methods or sequences of operations needed to fabricate products.
  • Diagnose machine tool malfunctions to determine need for adjustments or repairs.
  • Evaluate machining procedures and recommend changes or modifications for improved efficiency or adaptability.
Supplemental
  • Install repaired parts into equipment or install new equipment.
  • Advise clients about the materials being used for finished products.
  • Dismantle machines or equipment, using hand tools or power tools to examine parts for defects and replace defective parts where needed.
  • Establish work procedures for fabricating new structural products, using a variety of metalworking machines.
  • Support metalworking projects from planning and fabrication through assembly, inspection, and testing, using knowledge of machine functions, metal properties, and mathematics.
  • Prepare working sketches for the illustration of product appearance.
  • Install experimental parts or assemblies, such as hydraulic systems, electrical wiring, lubricants, or batteries into machines or mechanisms.
  • Set up or operate metalworking, brazing, heat-treating, welding, or cutting equipment.
  • Test experimental models under simulated operating conditions, for purposes such as development, standardization, or feasibility of design.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Mathematics
  • 69%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Mechanical
  • 66%
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 Production and Processing
  • 65%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 Design
  • 60%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 English Language
  • 54%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 54%
    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.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Metal milling machines
  • 3-axis computerized numerical control CNC machines
  • Knee mills
  • Milling angle form cutters
 Wrenches and drivers
  • Adjustable wrenches
  • Combination wrenches
  • Hex keys
  • Hex wrenches
  • Phillips head screwdrivers
  • Pipe wrenches
  • Ratchet sets
  • Screwdrivers
  • Socket wrench sets
  • Spindle blade screwdrivers
 Measuring and layout tools
  • Angle plates
  • Edge finders
  • Machinists' squares
  • Spirit levels
 Length and thickness and distance measuring instruments
  • Angled feeler gauges
  • Calipers
  • Dial calipers
  • Dial indicators
  • Feeler gauges
  • Gauges
  • Height gauges
  • Hermaphrodite calipers
  • Inside micrometers
  • Inside spring calipers
  • Marking blocks
  • Micrometers
  • Outside micrometers
  • Outside spring calipers
  • Parallel blocks
  • Planer gauges
  • Radius gauges
  • Ring gauges
  • Sine bars
  • Steel rules
  • Telescoping gauges
  • Thread gauges
  • V blocks
  • Vernier calipers
  • Vernier gear tooth calipers
  • Vernier height gauges
 Forming tools
  • Anvils
  • Ball peen hammers
  • Brass hammers
  • Composition hammers
  • Machinists' hammers
  • Rubber mallets
  • Sledgehammers
  • Swaging tools
 Metal bending machines
  • Arbor presses
  • Brake presses
  • Tube benders
 Cutting and crimping and punching tools
  • Aviation snips
  • Beverly shears
  • Deburring tools
  • Hacksaws
  • Hand saws
  • Metal shears
  • Power hacksaws
  • Prick punches
  • Punches
  • Shears
  • Utility knives
 Metal cutting machines
  • Bandsaws
  • Threading machines
 Viewing and observing instruments and accessories
  • Binocular light compound microscopes
 Machinery for working wood and stone and ceramic and the like
  • Boring bars
  • Boring tools
  • Center drills
  • Computerized numerical control CNC machining centers
  • Crankshaft grinders
  • Horizontal boring bars
  • Milling machines
  • Pillar drill machines
  • Planers
  • Valve grinding machines
 Lathes and turning centers
  • Breaker lathes
  • Computerized numerical control CNC turning lathes
  • Drum lathes
  • Engine lathes
  • Flywheel lathes
  • Horizontal lathes
  • Lathes
  • Turning lathes
  • Turret lathes
  • Vertical turret lathes VTL
 Power tools
  • Buffers
  • Chippers
  • Cold saws
  • Combination drills
  • Cutoff saws
  • Cylindrical grinders
  • Jointers
  • Power drills
  • Power sanders
  • Undercut tools
 Foundry machines and equipment
  • Centrifugal spin casters
 Holding and clamping tools
  • Channel lock pliers
  • Combination pliers
  • Grinding dogs
  • Hand clamps
  • Magnetic retrievers
  • Milling vises
  • Needlenose pliers
  • Side cutting pliers
  • Tongs
 Tool attachments and accessories
  • Chucks
  • Grinding wheel arbors
  • Pipe threaders
  • Reamers
 Rough and finishing tools
  • Cold chisels
  • Cylinder honers
  • Flat files
  • Grinders
  • Half-round files
  • Sharpening equipment
  • Single-cut mill saw files
  • Square chisels
 Indicating and recording instruments
  • Coordinate measuring machines CMM
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Personal computers
  • Personal digital assistants PDA
 Lifting equipment and accessories
  • Forklifts
  • Machine shop rigging equipment
  • Workshop cranes
 Face and head protection
  • Full face shields
  • Welding shields
 Welding machinery
  • Handheld welders
  • Metal inert gas MIG welders
  • Plasma welders
  • Portable welding equipment
  • Shielded arc welding tools
  • Tungsten inert gas TIG welding equipment
 Heat treating machines
  • Heat-treating equipment
 Machining centers
  • Horizontal mills
  • Multi-axis computerized numerical control CNC machines
  • Vertical milling machines
 Hydraulic presses
  • Hydraulic presses
 Computer printers
  • Laser printers
 Metal cutting tools
  • Metal cutting taps
  • Shapers
 Coating or plating machines
  • Metal spray equipment
 Welding and soldering and brazing accessories
  • Oxyacetylene welding equipment
  • Torches
 Aerial lifts
  • Platforms
  • Staging equipment
 Prying and bending tools
  • Pry bars
  • Steel wedges
  • Wedges
 Sealing tools
  • Putty knives
 Metal drilling machines
  • Radial drill presses
  • Radial drills
  • Sensitive drill presses
 Pneumatic tools
  • Sandblasters
 Mechanical instruments
  • Screw pitch gauges
 Marking tools
  • Scribers
  • Surface gauges
 Studs
  • Shims
 Soldering machines
  • Soldering equipment
 Metal grinding machines
  • Surface grinding machines
 Drafting supplies
  • Vernier bevel protractors
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Industry specific software
  • 3D Printing softwareHOT
  • Armchair Machinist software
  • Autodesk AutoCADHOT
  • Autodesk Fusion 360
  • Autodesk HSMWorks
  • CNC Consulting Machinists' Calculator
  • CNC Mastercam
  • CNC TurboCAD/CAM
  • Computer aided design CAD softwareHOT
  • Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
  • Dassault Systemes CATIAHOT
  • Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKSHOT
  • EditCNC
  • GRZ Software MeshCAM
  • JETCAM
  • Kentech Kipware StudioHOT
  • Kentech Kipware Trig Kalculator
  • Mazak Mazatrol SMART CNC
  • OneCNC CAD/CAM
  • OnShapeHOT
  • PTC Creo ParametricHOT
  • Siemens NXHOT
  • SolidCAMHOT
  • Vero Software SURFCAM
 Business function specific software
  • Hexagon Metrology PC-DMIS
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
FastForward at Virginia's Community Colleges is a short-term training program for high-demand industries, like healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades and infrastructure, helping Virginians get the jobs and salaries they need. Our goal is to get you trained, help you earn your certification, and get you into a career that can support you and your family. Explore the latest training program offerings by visiting FastForward
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Peninsula Community College