Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul small engines used to power lawn mowers, chain saws, recreational sporting equipment, and related equipment.

The occupation "Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics" has an automation risk of 24.7%, which is only slightly below its base risk of 25.0%. This relatively low risk indicates that, while some aspects of the job are susceptible to automation, a significant portion of the work still requires skills or judgment that machines currently struggle to replicate. The minor decrease from the base risk suggests that technology can support or partially automate several routine or documentation tasks, but faces challenges in replicating the full range of human capabilities required in this occupation. Among the most automatable tasks are activities that involve structured information processing and physical actions that can be readily standardized. For example, "Record repairs made, time spent, and parts used" is highly automatable through common business software or digital work-order systems. Similarly, "Test and inspect engines to determine malfunctions... using diagnostic instruments" is increasingly handled by advanced diagnostic tools that automate much of the assessment process. The third automatable task, "Dismantle engines, using hand tools, and examine parts for defects," could also be facilitated by robotics and machine vision, though full automation still faces some technical barriers due to the manual dexterity required. However, the occupation shows notable resistance to automation in areas that demand advanced technical skill, adaptability, and interpersonal interaction. Tasks such as "Grind, ream, rebore, and re-tap parts to obtain specified clearances, using grinders, lathes, taps, reamers, boring machines, and micrometers" require a high degree of manual precision and real-time adjustment, which are challenging for current robotic systems. "Sell parts and equipment" involves customer service and product knowledge, areas where human interaction and persuasion skills are crucial. Lastly, "Remove engines from equipment, and position and bolt engines to repair stands" involves complex, variable physical manipulation that resists automation. Bottleneck skills like Originality, with a modest importance of 2.6% and 2.1%, reflect the need for creative problem-solving and adaptive thinking—qualities that present significant hurdles for automation and further protect the core functions of this occupation.