Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers

Wind wire coils used in electrical components, such as resistors and transformers, and in electrical equipment and instruments, such as field cores, bobbins, armature cores, electrical motors, generators, and control equipment.

The occupation "Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers" has an automation risk of 42.9%, closely aligning with the base risk of 43.2%. This moderate risk level is primarily influenced by the routine and repetitive nature of many of the tasks, which are well within the capabilities of current automation technologies. For example, the three most automatable tasks include operating or tending wire-coiling machines, which can be readily automated with sensors and programmable robotics; attaching, altering, and trimming wires and insulation using hand tools, which can be handled by precise robotic arms; and cutting, stripping, and bending wire leads, a function already automated in several industrial contexts. These activities are typically rule-based, require minimal adaptation to changing environments, and can be standardized across many production lines. On the other hand, there are crucial aspects of the job that remain resistant to automation, helping to keep the overall risk below a majority threshold. The tasks least likely to be automated demand higher dexterity, troubleshooting, or variability: disassembling and assembling motors, repairing and maintaining electrical components, and lining slots or inserting coils. These actions frequently require a human touch for fine adjustments, problem-solving when facing unexpected issues, and careful manipulation of delicate materials. Applying solutions or paints and baking components also introduces variability that current automation technologies struggle to handle efficiently, especially in settings with smaller production runs or customized components. Further constraining the pace of automation is the low level of bottleneck skills involved, particularly with regard to originality, which is measured at only 1.8% and 0.9% in two assessments. This suggests that while most of the tasks are not highly creative or inventive, the profession still relies on small but essential elements of problem-solving and adaptation, especially in maintenance and custom setup scenarios. These skills, though not predominant, introduce some unpredictability that automation systems have difficulty replicating. Ultimately, the combination of straightforward and automatable production work with pockets of complex, hands-on tasks and minor but relevant application of originality leads to an automation risk that hovers around the 43% mark for "Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers."