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Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

ManufacturingO*NET 51-4191.00United States

Set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$48,508

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
−8.7%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

89.9% of the workforce

Employment
14.92K jobs

Growing to 13.62K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

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The work

What heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • Read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated.
  • Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to document that objects have attained specified temperatures for specified times.
  • Adjust controls to maintain temperatures and heating times, using thermal instruments and charts, dials and gauges of furnaces, and color of stock in furnaces to make setting determinations.
  • Set up and operate or tend machines, such as furnaces, baths, flame-hardening machines, and electronic induction machines, that harden, anneal, and heat-treat metal.
  • Start conveyors and open furnace doors to load stock, or signal crane operators to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them.
  • Remove parts from furnaces after specified times, and air dry or cool parts in water, oil brine, or other baths.
  • Move controls to light gas burners and to adjust gas and water flow and flame temperature.
  • Instruct new workers in machine operation.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$34,815
25th percentile
$40,333
50th percentile
$48,508
75th percentile
$58,251
90th percentile
$66,605

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $48,508 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

−8.7%projected to decline
202514,921 jobs
2035 projected13,624 jobs

1,297 fewer positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
89.9%
Certificate
9.8%
Associate degree
0.3%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Heat Treating
  • Furnaces
  • Metal Heat Treatments
  • Lifting Ability
  • Loading And Unloading
  • Machinery
  • Forklift Truck
  • Mechanical Aptitude
  • Tooling
  • Blueprinting
  • Hardness Tests
  • Safety Procedures
  • Oil and Gas
  • Machining
  • Manual Dexterity
  • General Mathematics
  • Metallurgy
  • Housekeeping
  • Safety Standards
  • Welding

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Active Listening
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.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Equipment Maintenance
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Repairing
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Heat Treat Operators278 postings
  2. 02Heat Treat Technicians223 postings
  3. 03Treatment Technicians58 postings
  4. 04Technicians21 postings
  5. 05Spray Technicians19 postings
  6. 06Composite Technicians17 postings
  7. 07Powder Coaters15 postings
  8. 08Heat Treat Supervisors12 postings
  9. 09Technician Assistants7 postings
  10. 10Apprentice Mechanics6 postings
  11. 11Field Technicians6 postings
  12. 12Gardeners6 postings
  13. 13Robot Operators6 postings
  14. 14Brazers5 postings
  15. 15Melting Operators5 postings
  16. 16Non-Destructive Testing Inspectors5 postings
  17. 17Processing Technicians5 postings
  18. 18Aerospace Technicians4 postings
  19. 19Apprentice Technicians4 postings
  20. 20Coating Operators4 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Team Industrial Services67 postings
  2. 02Taurus Industrial Group40 postings
  3. 03AAA19 postings
  4. 04Howmet Aerospace19 postings
  5. 05Precision Castparts13 postings
  6. 06Bodycote11 postings
  7. 07RTX9 postings
  8. 08Blue Origin8 postings
  9. 09Express Employment Professionals8 postings
  10. 10Metaltek International8 postings
  11. 11Eaton Corporation7 postings
  12. 12Protect7 postings
  13. 13Siemens Energy7 postings
  14. 14TIC - The Industrial Company7 postings
  15. 15Timken7 postings
  16. 16ATI6 postings
  17. 17Aerotek6 postings
  18. 18Element Materials Technology6 postings
  19. 19PDS Tech6 postings
  20. 20Pratt & Whitney6 postings

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