Plastic press operator vs forge press operator

The differences between plastic press operators and forge press operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a plastic press operator, becoming a forge press operator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a forge press operator has an average salary of $33,563, which is higher than the $30,936 average annual salary of a plastic press operator.

The top three skills for a plastic press operator include hand tools, calipers and quality products. The most important skills for a forge press operator are forge press, calipers, and minor maintenance.

Plastic press operator vs forge press operator overview

	Plastic Press Operator	Forge Press Operator
Yearly salary	$30,936	$33,563
Hourly rate	$14.87	$16.14
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	40,574	44,853
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	46	48
Years of experience	2	4

Plastic press operator vs forge press operator salary

Plastic press operators and forge press operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Plastic Press Operator	Forge Press Operator
Average salary	$30,936	$33,563
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $38,000	Between $27,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between plastic press operator and forge press operator education

There are a few differences between a plastic press operator and a forge press operator in terms of educational background:

	Plastic Press Operator	Forge Press Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Plastic press operator vs forge press operator demographics

Here are the differences between plastic press operators' and forge press operators' demographics:

	Plastic Press Operator	Forge Press Operator
Average age	46	48
Gender ratio	Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0%	Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 7.4% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	3%	5%

Differences between plastic press operator and forge press operator duties and responsibilities

Plastic press operator example responsibilities.

Measure thickness of material with calipers and micrometers while sanding to keep material within allowable tolerances.
Operate an extrusion press which produce aluminum products.

Forge press operator example responsibilities.

Flute grinders, brad point machines and chop see.
Use of calipers, mics and various tools to assure forge parts are to spec.
Maintain strict quality requirements using scales, calipers and micrometers.
Operate an overhead remote crane to move and stage raw material.
Press operator on misc multicolore Heidelberg and Komori presses

Plastic press operator vs forge press operator skills

Common plastic press operator skills

Hand Tools, 37%
Calipers, 31%
Quality Products, 19%
Machine Operation, 8%
Quality Checks, 2%
Press Machine, 1%

Common forge press operator skills

Forge Press, 18%
Calipers, 16%
Minor Maintenance, 14%
Hand Tools, 14%
Quality Checks, 12%
Tongs, 7%

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Production and Manufacturing Industry
Plastic Press Operator
Plastic Press Operator vs Forge Press Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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