Polishing machine operator vs lathe set up operator

The differences between polishing machine operators and lathe set up operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a polishing machine operator and a lathe set up operator. Additionally, a lathe set up operator has an average salary of $40,481, which is higher than the $33,810 average annual salary of a polishing machine operator.

The top three skills for a polishing machine operator include safety policies, grinding wheels and machine operation. The most important skills for a lathe set up operator are calipers, FANUC, and lathe machines.

Polishing machine operator vs lathe set up operator overview

	Polishing Machine Operator	Lathe Set Up Operator
Yearly salary	$33,810	$40,481
Hourly rate	$16.25	$19.46
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	58,159	30,437
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 45%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

Polishing machine operator vs lathe set up operator salary

Polishing machine operators and lathe set up operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Polishing Machine Operator	Lathe Set Up Operator
Average salary	$33,810	$40,481
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $43,000	Between $29,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between polishing machine operator and lathe set up operator education

There are a few differences between a polishing machine operator and a lathe set up operator in terms of educational background:

	Polishing Machine Operator	Lathe Set Up Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 45%
Most common major	Business	Computer Science
Most common college	-	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Polishing machine operator vs lathe set up operator demographics

Here are the differences between polishing machine operators' and lathe set up operators' demographics:

	Polishing Machine Operator	Lathe Set Up Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1%	Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 6.0% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.9% White, 68.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between polishing machine operator and lathe set up operator duties and responsibilities

Polishing machine operator example responsibilities.

Record statistics on ISO documentation, and coordinate with machine technicians and electrical technicians to keep machines operating at maximum efficiency.
Participate in technical support and assist validation and QA department during equipment validation.

Lathe set up operator example responsibilities.

Set up and run CNC lathes with Fanuc controls.
Set up and edit program as needed for Okuma LB35, Mazak lathe machine.
Experience running Haas mills, lathes, and Leadwell CNC lathes.
Experience running Mazak CNC lathe and mills.
Learned and familiarize myself with Mazak machines.
Operate various types of Mori Seiko lathes, and a few Haas verticle mills.

Polishing machine operator vs lathe set up operator skills

Common polishing machine operator skills

Safety Policies, 41%
Grinding Wheels, 18%
Machine Operation, 16%
Safety Standards, 11%
Stainless Steel, 6%
Load Trucks, 3%

Common lathe set up operator skills

Calipers, 12%
FANUC, 11%
Lathe Machines, 10%
Okuma, 7%
Aerospace, 7%
G Code, 5%

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Polishing Machine Operator
Polishing Machine Operator vs Lathe Set Up Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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