Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

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

Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

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.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

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.

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.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

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

Production Occupations

Metal Workers and Plastic Workers

Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.

Position and move metal wires or workpieces through a series of dies that compress and shape stock to form die impressions.

Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.

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.

Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.

Install, adjust, and remove dies, synchronizing cams, forging hammers, and stop guides, using overhead cranes or other hoisting devices, and hand tools.

Start machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conform to specifications.

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

Overview

Career

What Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Do

Other Job Titles Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

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

Overview

Career

What Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Do

Other Job Titles Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Majors Related to Career

Related Careers