Forge operator vs header set-up operator

The differences between forge operators and header set-up operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a header set-up operator has an average salary of $35,764, which is higher than the $33,751 average annual salary of a forge operator.

The top three skills for a forge operator include hand tools, safety rules and calipers. The most important skills for a header set-up operator are calipers, SPC, and comparators.

Forge operator vs header set-up operator overview

	Forge Operator	Header Set-Up Operator
Yearly salary	$33,751	$35,764
Hourly rate	$16.23	$17.19
Growth rate	7%	-5%
Number of jobs	57,462	27,599
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 67%	High School Diploma, 36%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	-

Forge operator vs header set-up operator salary

Forge operators and header set-up operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Forge Operator	Header Set-Up Operator
Average salary	$33,751	$35,764
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $41,000	Between $28,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between forge operator and header set-up operator education

There are a few differences between a forge operator and a header set-up operator in terms of educational background:

	Forge Operator	Header Set-Up Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 67%	High School Diploma, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Forge operator vs header set-up operator demographics

Here are the differences between forge operators' and header set-up operators' demographics:

	Forge Operator	Header Set-Up Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 93.4% Female, 6.6%	Male, 88.5% Female, 11.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 2.6% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 2.3% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	3%

Differences between forge operator and header set-up operator duties and responsibilities

Forge operator example responsibilities.

Perform quality checks using micrometers, calipers and other gauges to assure finish forged stabilizer bars are within specification.
Use cnc operate saws shears lathes and mills to size billet charges.
Operate 5,000 ton press daily, operation are manual or automatic using a CNC numerical screen.
Demonstrate ability to troubleshoot creatively, solve problems effectively, and make inform decisions while successfully guiding others through constant change.
Perform repair and preventive maintenance on machinery including cleaning, oiling and adjusting.

Header set-up operator example responsibilities.

Experience with SPC; measuring every dimension in print.
Work with internal, external, and bore grinders.
Enter quality check results into the computer matching them up to SPC charts.
Perform quality control inspection using calipers/gauges/micrometers and digital comparators.
Experience with AutoCAD, NVivo research software, RSLogix5000 for PLC programming.

Forge operator vs header set-up operator skills

Common forge operator skills

Hand Tools, 22%
Safety Rules, 16%
Calipers, 12%
Cranes, 8%
Gauges, 7%
CNC, 6%

Common header set-up operator skills

Calipers, 80%
SPC, 7%
Comparators, 4%
Quality Checks, 3%
Formax, 2%
Blueprint Specs, 2%

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Transportation Industry
Forge Operator
Forge Operator vs Header Set-Up Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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