Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend machines that cut or slice materials, such as glass, stone, cork, rubber, tobacco, food, paper, or insulating material.

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Cutting Workers

Production Occupations

Other Production Occupations

Review work orders, blueprints, specifications, or job samples to determine components, settings, and adjustments for cutting and slicing machines.

Examine, measure, and weigh materials or products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring devices, such as rulers, micrometers, or scales.

Press buttons, pull levers, or depress pedals to start and operate cutting and slicing machines.

Start machines to verify setups, and make any necessary adjustments.

Feed stock into cutting machines, onto conveyors, or under cutting blades, by threading, guiding, pushing, or turning handwheels.

Monitor operation of cutting or slicing machines to detect malfunctions or to determine whether supplies need replenishment.

Stack and sort cut material for packaging, further processing, or shipping, according to types and sizes of material.

Adjust machine controls to alter position, alignment, speed, or pressure.

Remove completed materials or products from cutting or slicing machines, and stack or store them for additional processing.

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Overview

Career

What Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Do

Other Job Titles Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Overview

Career

What Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Do

Other Job Titles Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Related Careers