Machine Feeders and Offbearers
Feed materials into or remove materials from machines or equipment that is automatic or tended by other workers.
📋Key Responsibilities
- •Inspect materials and products for defects, and to ensure conformance to specifications.
- •Record production and operational data, such as amount of materials processed.
- •Push dual control buttons and move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment.
- •Weigh or measure materials or products to ensure conformance to specifications.
- •Identify and mark materials, products, and samples, following instructions.
- •Clean and maintain machinery, equipment, and work areas to ensure proper functioning and safe working conditions.
- •Load materials and products into machines and equipment, or onto conveyors, using hand tools and moving devices.
- •Transfer materials and products to and from machinery and equipment, using industrial trucks or hand trucks.
💡Inside This Career
The machine feeder supplies production equipment—loading materials and removing finished products to keep manufacturing processes running continuously. A typical shift centers on machine support. Perhaps 85% of time goes to feeding and removing: placing raw materials, positioning work pieces, removing finished products, stacking output. Another 10% involves monitoring—watching for jams, observing quality, alerting operators to issues. The remaining time addresses material preparation and cleanup.
People who thrive as machine feeders combine physical capability with rhythm and the consistency that continuous production requires. Successful feeders develop proficiency matching machine pace while building the endurance that repetitive motion demands. They must keep machines supplied without interrupting production flow. Those who struggle often cannot sustain the repetitive pace or find the monotony unbearable. Others fail because they cannot achieve the rhythm that efficient feeding requires.
Machine feeding represents essential production support, with feeders providing the human link that keeps automated equipment running. The field serves manufacturing operations where full automation is not feasible. Feeders appear in discussions of production work, entry-level manufacturing, and the workers who support machine operation.
Practitioners cite the accessibility and the structure as primary rewards. The work requires no advanced training. The pace is set by machines, providing structure. Manufacturing employment offers stability. Benefits through larger employers exist. The contribution to production is visible. Some workers prefer the predictable routine. Common frustrations include the monotony and the conditions. Many find that the repetitive nature is mind-numbing. The physical demands of continuous motion are wearing. Factory noise and conditions affect comfort. Compensation is modest. Automation continues to eliminate positions. The work offers minimal advancement.
This career requires physical capability and rhythm. Strong endurance, consistency, and reliability are essential. The role suits those wanting production work with clear routines. It is poorly suited to those needing mental engagement, wanting varied tasks, or seeking growing fields. Compensation is at the lower end of manufacturing wages.
📈Career Progression
📚Education & Training
Requirements
- •Entry Education: High school diploma or equivalent
- •Experience: Some experience helpful
- •On-the-job Training: Few months to one year
Time & Cost
🤖AI Resilience Assessment
AI Resilience Assessment
Default: Moderate AI impact with balanced human-AI collaboration expected
How much of this job involves tasks AI can currently perform
Likelihood that AI replaces workers vs. assists them
(BLS 2024-2034)
How much this role relies on distinctly human capabilities
💻Technology Skills
⭐Key Abilities
🏷️Also Known As
🔗Related Careers
Other careers in transportation
🔗Data Sources
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