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Date: 11/26/2025

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.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Immerse objects to be coated or plated into cleaning solutions, or spray objects with conductive solutions to prepare them for plating.
    • Operate hoists to place workpieces onto machine feed carriages or spindles.
    • Position objects to be plated in frames, or suspend them from positive or negative terminals of power supplies.
    • Place plated or coated materials on racks and transfer them to ovens to dry for specified periods of time.
    • Monitor and measure thicknesses of electroplating on component parts to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers.
    • Clean workpieces, using wire brushes.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • Clean and maintain equipment, using water hoses and scrapers.
    • 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.
    • Replace worn parts and adjust equipment components, using hand tools.
    • Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
    • Immerse objects to be coated or plated into cleaning solutions, or spray objects with conductive solutions to prepare them for plating.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • Suspend objects, such as parts or molds from cathode rods, or negative terminals, and immerse objects in plating solutions.
    • 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.
    • Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales.
    • Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
    • Determine sizes and compositions of objects to be plated, and amounts of electrical current and time required.
    • Test machinery to ensure that it is operating properly.
    • Position and feed materials into processing machines, by hand or by using automated equipment.
    • Read production schedules to determine setups of equipment and machines.
    • Perform equipment maintenance, such as cleaning tanks and lubricating moving parts of conveyors.
    • Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
    • Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
    • Suspend sticks or pieces of plating metal from anodes, or positive terminals, and immerse metal in plating solutions.
    • Clean and maintain equipment, using water hoses and scrapers.
    • Mix and test solutions, and turn valves to fill tanks with solutions.
    • Mix and test solutions, and turn valves to fill tanks with solutions.
    • Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
    • Maintain production records.
    • Measure, mark, and mask areas to be excluded from plating.

    Skills

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • 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.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • 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.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • 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.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • 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.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • 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.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    Knowledge

    • 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.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Mechanical

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

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • 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.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • 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.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • 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.

    • Design

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

    • Production and Processing

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

    • Mathematics

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

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

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    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 43720/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 21.02/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 2,070
    • Yearly Projected Openings 190

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cooperation
    • Achievement/Effort
    • Integrity
    • Self Control

    Tools

    • Air dryers
    • Ammeters
    • Calipers
    • Conveyor system
    • Forklifts
    • Galvanometers
    • Heat treating age hardening furnace
    • Hoists
    • Jacks
    • Levels
    • Metal inert gas welding machine
    • Micrometers
    • Pallet trucks
    • Processing tanks
    • Sand blasting machine
    • Workshop cranes

    Technology

    • Compliance software
    • Computer aided design CAD software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Procurement software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

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