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Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Production · SOC 51-4193
0.0% AI Exposure — Low
$43,960
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
3,600
Proj. Annual Openings
32,410
Employment (OEWS 2025)
-4.2%/yr
Empl. growth (2019–2025)
100/100
AI Resiliency Score
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 51-4193 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
Proxy / seed data labeledDescriptive-only
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 52/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $43,960
- No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
- Projected openings
- 3,600
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change -13.6%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- —
- FY— certified LCAs; 4,167 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Operations MonitoringReading ComprehensionActive ListeningMonitoringOperation and Control
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
AI Exposure0.0%
AI Resiliency100/100
Exposure BandLow
Sector Avg. Exposure0.7%
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
17.5%
Consensus
Actual adoption · Anthropic0%
AI capability · OpenAI10.4%
AI ability · AIOE42.2%
Automation baseline (2013) · Frey & Osborne92%
Top Skills
1.Operations Monitoring
2.Reading Comprehension
3.Active Listening
4.Monitoring
5.Operation and Control
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →No H-1B certified LCA filings recorded for this occupation in FY2016–FY2025.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
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.
Common titles: Anodizer, Anodizing Line Operator, Chrome Plater, Coater Associate, Coater Operator, Electro Plater
Representative Tasks
- •Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
- •Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
- •Inspect coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
- •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.
- •Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Immerse objects or workpieces in cleaning or coating solutions.
- •Adjust flow of electricity to tools or production equipment.
- •Operate painting or coating equipment.
- •Inspect finishes of workpieces or finished products.
- •Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
Tools & Technologies
Microsoft Excel · hotMicrosoft Outlook · hotMicrosoft Word · hotHazardous materials management HMS softwareOracle Advanced Procurement
Related Occupations
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHeat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticWelding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersMolding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticMolders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic · Bright
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
15
Occupations Shown
0.5%
Avg AI Exposure
1
Bright Outlook
Horizontal bar chart showing occupations with the highest projected annual openings. Each bar length represents annual projected openings. Color uses a gradient from violet (lower) to cyan (higher). Summary statistics are shown above the chart.
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Multi-year BLS OEWS history for SOC 51-4193: 2019 — employment: 41,810, median wage: $33,500; 2020 — employment: 38,470, median wage: $34,850; 2021 — employment: 32,310, median wage: $37,200; 2022 — employment: 32,050, median wage: $37,900; 2023 — employment: 31,970, median wage: $39,740; 2025 — employment: 32,410, median wage: $43,960.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Outlook | Average | 4% Bright |
| Median Salary | $43,960 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |