Metal rolling mill operator
Also known as: hammer mill operator, hammer mill technician, hammer mill operative, powder mill operator, rolling mill control operator, powder mill operative
About this occupation
Metal rolling mill operators set up and tend metal rolling mills designed to form metal workpieces into their desired shape by passing them through one or several pairs of rolls in order to decrease the metal's thickness and to make it homogeneous. They also take into account the proper temperature for this rolling process.
Essential skills and knowledge
- types of metal
- remove inadequate workpieces
- troubleshoot
- perform test run
- ensure equipment availability
- set up the controller of a machine
- quality standards
- ensure correct metal temperature
- monitor moving workpiece in a machine
- wear appropriate protective gear
- remove processed workpiece
- monitor gauge
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (O*NET 51-4023.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Monitor machine cycles and mill operation to detect jamming and to ensure that products conform to specifications.
- Adjust and correct machine set-ups to reduce thicknesses, reshape products, and eliminate product defects.
- Start operation of rolling and milling machines to flatten, temper, form, and reduce sheet metal sections and to produce steel strips.
- Examine, inspect, and measure raw materials and finished products to verify conformance to specifications.
- Read rolling orders, blueprints, and mill schedules to determine setup specifications, work sequences, product dimensions, and installation procedures.
- Manipulate controls and observe dial indicators to monitor, adjust, and regulate speeds of machine mechanisms.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Monitoring, Speaking, Active Listening
US median pay: US$50,140 a year (2025), 25,250 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalVery important (3.9)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.4)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
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- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
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- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.