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Tool machinist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Miles Free

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical tool machinist skills. We ranked the top skills for tool machinists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 20.0% of tool machinist resumes contained cnc as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a tool machinist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 tool machinist skills for your resume and career

1. CNC

CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control. It is a subtractive manufacturing technique that usually uses computerized controls and machine tools to strip layers of material from a stock piece.

Here's how tool machinists use cnc:

Developed Personal Computer applications for CNC utilization and SPC.
Operated milling machines, grinders, screw machines, CNC's, drill press, hydraulic press.

2. Jigs

Here's how tool machinists use jigs:

Job duties included setting locators on assembly jigs and periodic inspection using a laser tracker system.
Jig and Fixture Builder Sr., machining and assemble of jig details and sub-assemblies.

3. Hand Tools

Here's how tool machinists use hand tools:

Operated Okuma lathes with Fanuc controls and a variety of hand tools and inspection equipment.
Operate hand tools/other machinery as necessary to complete production.

4. Grinders

Here's how tool machinists use grinders:

Experienced with boring mills, Blanchard grinders, lathes, and surface grinders.
Brown&Sharpes,OD Grinders, Centerless Grinder,Surface Grinder,ID Grinder.

5. Calipers

Here's how tool machinists use calipers:

Measure dimensions of tools using instruments such as vernier calipers and micrometer screw gauge.
Operated calipers, micrometers, machinist scales, and hand/power tools.

6. Drill Presses

Here's how tool machinists use drill presses:

Set up and operate automatic and manual drill presses and tapping machines.
Operated single and multiple-spindle drill presses and bore holes.

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7. BARS

Here's how tool machinists use bars:

Set drills boring bars frames, etc with use of an indicator or tool pre-setter.

8. Dial Indicators

Here's how tool machinists use dial indicators:

Use precision measuring devices such as micrometers, calipers and dial indicators to verify conformance to specifications.
Aligned rotating equipment using lasers or dial indicators.

9. Aluminum

Aluminum is the most common nonferrous metal and the most prevalent metallic material in the Earth's crust. Aluminum is never found in its metallic form in nature, but its compounds can be found in varying degrees in nearly all minerals, vegetation, and animals. Cans, foils, cooking utensils, door frames, kegs, and aeroplane pieces are all made of aluminum.

Here's how tool machinists use aluminum:

Machined A1, A2, Aluminum and Graphite.
Provided technical support for assembly line and set-up new high speed machines for manufacturing aluminum laminated tubes.

10. Cad Cam

Here's how tool machinists use cad cam:

Used Cad Cam system to draw and program.

11. Machine Shop Equipment

Here's how tool machinists use machine shop equipment:

Documented repairs and use of machine shop equipment, and also received safety training.
Assisted machinists in the set up and operation of machine shop equipment.

12. FANUC

Here's how tool machinists use fanuc:

Study under Lead Machinist while learning FANUC control for Vertical Mills as well as OKUMA controls for Lathes.
Gained a full understanding of FANUC controls.

13. Inspection Equipment

Here's how tool machinists use inspection equipment:

Use all inspection equipment, Grind my own tooling as needed.
Use all inspection equipment including Work on manual lathes, mills, drills presses and tapping

14. Brazing

Here's how tool machinists use brazing:

Performed welding, pulse spot welding, and brazing of small complex instruments.
Set up or operate metalworking, brazing, heat-treating, welding, or cutting equipment.

15. G Code

Here's how tool machinists use g code:

Completed the Advanced Manufacturing Program Mill G CodeProgramming Course at Suffolk Community College.
Utilized CamWorks and SolidWorks software for the purpose of modeling and generating code for MultiAxis machining centers to facilitate shop production.

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What skills help Tool Machinists find jobs?

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What type of skills will young tool machinists need?

Miles Free

Director, Industry Affairs, Precision Machined Products Association

Skills are essential, but most of our precision machining shops hire for attitude. We will help reliable candidates develop the skills that they need. If we look at employers having wants and needs: want - someone that knows their software. Needs - someone that knows how to adjust code; we'll teach them our software. Wants - excellent math skills. Requires the ability to do high school algebra, geometry, and trig.

Needs - people that can communicate an issue verbally and in writing.
That's where we see it. Critical thinking, ability to understand problems and their potential causes, ability to work well with others, without this, even a super-competent technically skilled person will probably find themselves changing jobs many times.

Do you want to know more?

List of tool machinist skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a tool machinist resume and required skills for a tool machinist to have include:

CNC
Jigs
Hand Tools
Grinders
Calipers
Drill Presses
BARS
Dial Indicators
Aluminum
Cad Cam

Machine Shop Equipment
FANUC
Inspection Equipment
Brazing
G Code
Prototype
CAD/CAM
EDM
RAN
TIG

MIG
Machine Tools
Quality Standards
CMM
Grinding Machines
Customer Specifications
GD
Tig Welding

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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