Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Machine setters, operators, and tenders in extrusion and drawing work with specialized equipment that transforms raw metal and plastic materials into specific shapes and forms. They spend their days monitoring and controlling machines that heat materials until malleable, then force them through dies or pull them through openings to create products like tubes, rods, wire, hoses, and structural components. Their work involves carefully measuring materials, adjusting machine settings such as temperature and pressure, loading raw materials into hoppers or feeders, and continuously monitoring the extrusion or drawing process to ensure quality standards are met.