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Automotive Manufacturing
Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Toyota Motor
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
These workers run plating lines that coat metal or plastic parts with finishes like nickel, chromium, copper, or zinc. The job is unusual because tiny changes in timing, voltage, or cleaning can ruin the surface, so the daily tradeoff is keeping production moving while catching defects before a batch is scrapped.
Also known as PlaterElectroplating OperatorPlating OperatorElectroplaterCoating Machine Operator
Median Salary
$41,600
Mean $43,820
U.S. Workforce
~32K
2.5K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-13.6%
31.7K to 27.4K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~32K workers, with a median annual pay of $41,600 and roughly 2.5K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 31.7 K in 2024 to 27.4K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Less than High School Diploma, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Production Helper and can progress toward Lead Plating Operator. High-value skills usually include Operations Monitoring, Plating Bath Controls, Rectifiers & Voltage Settings, and Monitoring Process Readouts & Equipment, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Coordination, and Critical Thinking.
Core Responsibilities
- Load parts into plating tanks or coating machines and get the line ready for the right finish.
- Set the machine controls for current, voltage, and timing so the coating goes on evenly.
- Pull parts out at set points, rinse them, and dry them before they move to the next step.
- Clean off extra material, rough spots, or leftover residue with air tools or grinding equipment.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Load parts into plating tanks or coating machines and get the line ready for the right finish.
02 Set the machine controls for current, voltage, and timing so the coating goes on evenly.
03 Pull parts out at set points, rinse them, and dry them before they move to the next step.
04 Clean off extra material, rough spots, or leftover residue with air tools or grinding equipment.
05 Measure coating thickness and look for bubbles, thin spots, or uneven coverage.
06 Keep an eye on the process and tell a supervisor if the bath, machine, or parts start drifting out of spec.
Industries That Hire
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Aerospace & Defense
Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
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Electronics & Contract Manufacturing
Jabil, Flex, Celestica
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Medical Device Manufacturing
Medtronic, Stryker, Boston Scientific
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Industrial Machinery & Metal Products
Caterpillar, Eaton, Parker Hannifin
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can get started with a high school diploma or even less, and BLS says no prior work experience is required.
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The work is hands-on and concrete: you can see whether a part passes, fails, or needs another pass.
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There are still about 2.5 thousand annual openings, so retirements and turnover create opportunities even as the occupation shrinks.
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The skills transfer across a lot of manufacturing settings, from auto parts to aerospace hardware to medical devices.
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Moderate-term on-the-job training means you can learn the job after hire instead of taking on a long degree program.
Challenges
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Pay is modest for the amount of attention the work demands: the median is $41,600 a year and the mean is $43,820.
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Employment is projected to fall 13.6% by 2034, a drop of about 4.3 thousand jobs, which means fewer long-term openings.
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The work is repetitive and physical, with long periods of standing, handling parts, and moving between stations.
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Chemical baths, metal dust, and cleaning agents can create safety and comfort issues if the plant's controls slip.
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The career ceiling can be fairly flat because many plants standardize the process or automate pieces of it, so advancement often means moving into quality, maintenance, or supervision.
Career Progression
Production Helper
0-1 years
$28K-$34K
Learns plant safety, handles parts, and helps keep the plating area supplied and organized.
Plating Machine Operator
1-3 years
$35K-$39K
Runs routine batches, watches gauges, and handles simple adjustments while more experienced workers set the pace.
Plating Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender THIS ROLE
3-6 years
$40K-$46K
Sets up the line, controls bath conditions, and checks thickness and finish quality; this tier includes the role's median pay of $41,600.
Lead Plating Operator
6+ years
$47K-$60K
Coordinates the shift, troubleshoots stubborn defects, and helps train newer workers.
Education Paths
Less than High School Diploma
This is the most common background in the data, held by 49.2% of workers, so some people enter the field without finishing high school.
High School Diploma or Equivalent
BLS lists this as the typical entry point, and it appears for 46.75% of workers in the occupation.
Moderate-Term On-the-Job Training
BLS says this is the usual way workers learn the controls, safety steps, and inspection routine after they are hired.
Key Skills
Technical
Operations Monitoring 65%
Plating Bath Controls, Rectifiers & Voltage Settings 64%
Monitoring Process Readouts & Equipment 62%
Operation and Control 62%
Micrometers & Coating Thickness Gauges 61%
Quality Control Analysis 60%
Air Hoses, Grinding Tools & Deburring Equipment 60%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningCoordinationCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionTeam CommunicationAttention to Detail Job Outlook and Trends
+-13.6%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
2.5K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 31.7K to 27.4 K over the next decade, representing -13.6% growth. Around 2.5 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.