Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.

The occupation "Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders" carries an automation risk of 47.8%, which closely aligns with its base risk of 48.3%. This relatively moderate risk reflects the dual nature of the work, which combines highly repetitive, rule-based tasks with certain duties that demand manual dexterity and decision-making. Automation technologies, such as advanced robotics and computer vision systems, have made significant inroads in industrial manufacturing settings, providing the capability to handle routine operations with high precision and efficiency. However, the integration of fully autonomous systems still encounters challenges in replicating the nuanced tasks and situational adjustments performed by human operators. As a result, the risk is neither exceptionally high nor notably low, placing this occupation in a transitional phase with respect to automation. Among the most automatable tasks in this occupation are reading blueprints, work orders, or production schedules to determine job instructions or specifications; inspecting, measuring, or testing completed metal workpieces; and recording operational information on specified production reports. These tasks are highly standardized and involve clear, rule-based decisions that can be replicated by machines with the aid of sensors, imaging technology, and sophisticated software. For instance, machine vision can interpret blueprints and quality control can be mechanized using automated testing devices. Similarly, digital systems can generate and maintain accurate operational records with minimal human intervention, thereby streamlining many aspects of the workflow and increasing the likelihood of these tasks being automated in the near future. Conversely, the tasks most resistant to automation include immersing completed workpieces into water or acid baths to cool and clean components, dressing electrodes using manual tools like tip dressers or files, and starting, monitoring, as well as adjusting robotic welding production lines. These activities often require tactile feedback, precise handling, and adaptive problem-solving—skills that are not easily replicated by contemporary automation technologies. Moreover, bottleneck skills such as originality (with measured levels of 2.1% and 1.9%) indicate that certain elements of the occupation demand creative reasoning and the improvisational ability to adapt workflows or solve unexpected problems. This human element acts as a significant barrier to total automation, ensuring that despite ongoing technological advances, expert oversight and intervention remain essential within this occupation.