Punch operator vs molding press operator

The differences between punch operators and molding press 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 punch operator and a molding press operator. Additionally, a punch operator has an average salary of $33,046, which is higher than the $31,705 average annual salary of a molding press operator.

The top three skills for a punch operator include quality checks, calipers and punch machine. The most important skills for a molding press operator are inspect products, air pressure, and safety procedures.

Punch operator vs molding press operator overview

	Punch Operator	Molding Press Operator
Yearly salary	$33,046	$31,705
Hourly rate	$15.89	$15.24
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	44,679	46,023
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

Punch operator vs molding press operator salary

Punch operators and molding press operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Punch Operator	Molding Press Operator
Average salary	$33,046	$31,705
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $44,000	Between $26,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between punch operator and molding press operator education

There are a few differences between a punch operator and a molding press operator in terms of educational background:

	Punch Operator	Molding Press Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Punch operator vs molding press operator demographics

Here are the differences between punch operators' and molding press operators' demographics:

	Punch Operator	Molding Press Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 79.2% Female, 20.8%	Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5%
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, 7.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between punch operator and molding press operator duties and responsibilities

Punch operator example responsibilities.

Set up and run cnc amada turret punch presses and sharpen own tooling, and do minor adjustments to program
Operate Amada Apelio, Vipros, EMLK, FOM2 3015NT, FOM2 RI 3015 NT and Trumpf 2030.
Measure thickness of material with calipers and micrometers while sanding to keep material within allowable tolerances.
Dye setting and machine set up.

Molding press operator example responsibilities.

Require molding expect rate of part producing and achieving ISO QualityStandards.
Operate CNC and manual machines for the manufacturing of various metal parts.
Research and choose new ASTM testing methods that can be used with the current tools available when present with new projects.
Demonstrate efficient manual dexterity at a rapid and continuous rate.
Build car parts for Honda.
Run molding machine to make mold mud flaps for all Honda vehicles.

Punch operator vs molding press operator skills

Common punch operator skills

Quality Checks, 32%
Calipers, 19%
Punch Machine, 16%
CNC, 11%
Punch Press, 7%
ISO, 5%

Common molding press operator skills

Inspect Products, 17%
Air Pressure, 14%
Safety Procedures, 13%
Quality Checks, 11%
Plastic Injection, 8%
Press Machine, 6%

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Production and Manufacturing Industry
Punch Operator
Punch Operator vs Molding Press Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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