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Manufacturing & Production · Updated Aug 2026

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment; filter presses; shaker screens; centrifuges; condenser tubes; precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks; scrubbing towers; or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. Includes dairy processing equipment operators.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
AI Exposure
49/100
Moderate

How much of this occupation’s work can be materially affected by current AI systems.

Replacement Risk
49/100
Moderate

How likely exposure is to translate into reduced human demand.

Includes provisional estimates for AI adoption pressure and labour-market resilience. How this is measured

Evidence quality
Confidence82/100
Task coverage87%

Confidence reflects task coverage, mapping and capability-evidence quality, and how much of the score rests on provisional inputs.

Task-level evidence

What is driving the score?

Occupation scores are built from the task mix—not a single prediction about a job title.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
TaskImportanceAI impactExposure
Dump, pour, or load specified amounts of refined or unrefined materials into equipment or containers for further processing or storage.High
67
Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.High
68
Operate machines to process materials in compliance with applicable safety, energy, or environmental regulations.High
69
Measure or weigh materials to be refined, mixed, transferred, stored, or otherwise processed.High
69
Start agitators, shakers, conveyors, pumps, or centrifuge machines.High
68
Maintain logs of instrument readings, test results, or shift production for entry in computer databases.Medium
68
Inspect machines or equipment for hazards, operating efficiency, malfunctions, wear, or leaks.High
58
Turn valves to pump sterilizing solutions or rinse water through pipes or equipment or to spray vats with atomizers.Medium
68
Test samples to determine viscosity, acidity, specific gravity, or degree of concentration, using test equipment such as viscometers, pH meters, or hydrometers.High
51
Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory analysis.Medium
39
Monitor material flow or instruments, such as temperature or pressure gauges, indicators, or meters, to ensure optimal processing conditions.High
32
Examine samples to verify qualities such as clarity, cleanliness, consistency, dryness, or texture.High
22
Turn valves or move controls to admit, drain, separate, filter, clarify, mix, or transfer materials.High
18
Remove clogs, defects, or impurities from machines, tanks, conveyors, screens, or other processing equipment.Medium
24
Clean or sterilize tanks, screens, inflow pipes, production areas, or equipment, using hoses, brushes, scrapers, or chemical solutions.Medium
24
Install, maintain, or repair hoses, pumps, filters, or screens to maintain processing equipment, using hand tools.Medium
21
Most exposed

Where AI can do more

Routine, digitized, and highly repeatable tasks face the greatest pressure.

  1. Operate machines to process materials in compliance with applicable safety, energy, or environmental regulations.69
  2. Measure or weigh materials to be refined, mixed, transferred, stored, or otherwise processed.69
  3. Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.68
  4. Start agitators, shakers, conveyors, pumps, or centrifuge machines.68
Hardest to automate

Where people still matter

These tasks score lowest on automation feasibility—physical presence, judgement, accountability and real-world variability all resist end-to-end automation.

  1. Turn valves or move controls to admit, drain, separate, filter, clarify, mix, or transfer materials.01
  2. Install, maintain, or repair hoses, pumps, filters, or screens to maintain processing equipment, using hand tools.02
  3. Remove clogs, defects, or impurities from machines, tanks, conveyors, screens, or other processing equipment.03
  4. Examine samples to verify qualities such as clarity, cleanliness, consistency, dryness, or texture.04
  5. Clean or sterilize tanks, screens, inflow pipes, production areas, or equipment, using hoses, brushes, scrapers, or chemical solutions.05
Where else this work leads

Related occupations

Occupations O*NET links to this one. Relatedness reflects shared work, not a claim that these roles are safer.

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AI risk 49

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Related work

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Beyond AI capability

Adoption and labour-market outlook

Structural factors are kept separate from raw capability so you can see what actually resists automation. Adoption pressure and labour-market resilience are still provisional models—25% of this occupation’s replacement-risk weight rests on them.

Human dependency48
Physical dependency57
Adoption pressure58
Labour-market resilience58
Methodology & sources

O*NET 30.3 occupational data interpreted through the JobsVsAI capability, automation and structural-constraint models.

Confidence82/100
CalculatedAug 21, 2026
Read methodology →