Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Machines can already do 19% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 57%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 19% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2034, and 57% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 60,840 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $47,720 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 63% for contact with people.
- Also called: Equipment Technician (Equipment Tech), Extruder Operator, Extrusion Line Operator, Extrusion Operator.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Measure and examine extruded products to locate defects and to check for conformance to specifications, adjusting controls as necessary to alter products | 19% | 30% to 75% | |
| Start machines and set controls to regulate vacuum, air pressure, sizing rings, and temperature, and to synchronize speed of extrusion | 10% | 20% to 60% | |
| Troubleshoot, maintain, and make minor repairs to equipment | 9% | 3% to 30% | |
| Reel extruded products into rolls of specified lengths and weights | 9% | 20% to 60% | |
| Clean work areas | 7% | 20% to 60% | |
| Load machine hoppers with mixed materials, using augers, or stuff rolls of plastic dough into machine cylinders | 6% | 20% to 60% | |
| Install dies, machine screws, and sizing rings on machines that extrude thermoplastic or metal materials | 6% | 3% to 30% | |
| Adjust controls to draw or press metal into specified shapes and diameters | 6% | 20% to 60% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders56% of tasks by 2035 · US median $50,270
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery56% of tasks by 2035 · US median $60,850
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers56% of tasks by 2035 · US median $56,210
- Signal and Track Switch Repairers52% of tasks by 2035 · US median $92,460
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2034. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
Machines can do 19% of the tasks of extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic today and 57% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 51-4021.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/extruding-and-drawing-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders-metal-and-plastic/