Job Check
Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, milling and engraving machines, and jig borers to make working models of metal or plastic objects. Includes template makers.
10 main tasks · most important first
Your main tasks and AI
Importance- 01Study blueprints, drawings, and sketches to determine material dimensions, required equipment, and operations sequences.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 02Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, drill presses, punch presses, or bandsaws, to fabricate prototypes or models.Mostly human for now
- 03Program computer numerical control (CNC) machines to fabricate model parts.AI could speed this up a lot
- 04Inspect and test products to verify conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments or circuit testers.Mostly human for now
- 05Cut, shape, and form metal parts, using lathes, power saws, snips, power brakes and shears, files, and mallets.Mostly human for now
- 06Rework or alter component model or parts as required to ensure that products meet standards.Mostly human for now
- 07Drill, countersink, and ream holes in parts and assemblies for bolts, screws, and other fasteners, using power tools.Mostly human for now
- 08Grind, file, and sand parts to finished dimensions.Mostly human for now
- 09Devise and construct tools, dies, molds, jigs, and fixtures, or modify existing tools and equipment.Mostly human for now
- 10Record specifications, production operations, and final dimensions of models for use in establishing operating standards and procedures.Mostly human for now
Tasks from O*NET® 31.0 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0, changed by us), most important first. “Already use” comes from Anthropic’s data on real work chats with Claude; “could speed up” from task ratings made with GPT-4 in 2023.
Four studies, side by side
None is a forecast of job lossToo little dataNot enough work use was seen to measure. This does not mean the job is safe from AI.Anthropic, 2026
16%of this job’s tasks an AI model could do in half the time, counting tasks that need extra tools as half (rated in 2023).Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, 2023
Above 17% of jobsin how often and how well AI helped with this job’s work in Microsoft Copilot chats (2024 data).Microsoft Research (Tomlinson et al.), 2025
Above 75% of jobsin how much of this job’s physical work robots have been shown to do, from factories to homes (2026).Anthropic, 2026
Your human edge
The main tasks with no real AI use seen and no big speed-up expected. This is where your skill counts most today.
- Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, drill presses, punch presses, or bandsaws, to fabricate prototypes or models.
- Inspect and test products to verify conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments or circuit testers.
- Cut, shape, and form metal parts, using lathes, power saws, snips, power brakes and shears, files, and mallets.