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Date: 02/07/2026

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend spraying or rolling machines to coat or paint any of a wide variety of products, including glassware, cloth, ceramics, metal, plastic, paper, or wood, with lacquer, silver, copper, rubber, varnish, glaze, enamel, oil, or rust-proofing materials. Includes painters of transportation vehicles such as painters in auto body repair facilities.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Fill hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails.
    • Thread or feed items or products through or around machine rollers and dryers.
    • Operate lifting or moving devices to move equipment or materials to access areas to be painted.
    • Attach hoses or nozzles to machines, using wrenches and pliers, and make adjustments to obtain the proper dispersion of spray.
    • Turn dials, handwheels, valves, or switches to regulate conveyor speeds, machine temperature, air pressure and circulation, and the flow or spray of coatings or paints.
    • Turn dials, handwheels, valves, or switches to regulate conveyor speeds, machine temperature, air pressure and circulation, and the flow or spray of coatings or paints.
    • Use brush to hand-paint areas in need of retouching or unreachable with a spray gun.
    • Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles.
    • Clean equipment and work areas.
    • Examine, measure, weigh, or test sample products to ensure conformance to specifications.
    • Attach hoses or nozzles to machines, using wrenches and pliers, and make adjustments to obtain the proper dispersion of spray.
    • Buff and wax the finished paintwork.
    • Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.
    • Operate auxiliary machines or equipment used in coating or painting processes.
    • Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
    • Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams.
    • Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
    • Turn dials, handwheels, valves, or switches to regulate conveyor speeds, machine temperature, air pressure and circulation, and the flow or spray of coatings or paints.
    • Start and stop operation of machines, using levers or buttons.
    • Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
    • Weigh or measure chemicals, coatings, or paints before adding them to machines.
    • Examine, measure, weigh, or test sample products to ensure conformance to specifications.
    • Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.
    • Record operational data on specified forms.
    • Clean equipment and work areas.
    • Observe machine gauges and equipment operation to detect defects or deviations from standards, and make adjustments as necessary.
    • Set up portable equipment, such as ventilators, exhaust units, ladders, or scaffolding.
    • Remove materials, parts, or workpieces from painting or coating machines, using hand tools.
    • Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.
    • Determine paint flow, viscosity, and coating quality by performing visual inspections, or by using viscometers.

    Skills

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    N/A
    Workplace Documents
    N/A
    Graphic Literacy
    N/A

    Abilities

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    Knowledge

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    Career Video

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    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 46650/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 22.43/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 7,990
    • Yearly Projected Openings 720

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness

    Tools

    • Abrasive discs
    • Adjustable wrenches
    • Air compressors
    • Air exhausters
    • Atomizers
    • Blow torch
    • Claw hammer
    • Coating machines
    • Compressed air gun
    • Desktop computers
    • Forklifts
    • Gas welding or brazing or cutting apparatus
    • Goggles
    • Gravity pump
    • Hand trucks or accessories
    • Heat guns
    • Hoists
    • Infrared lamps
    • Jacks
    • Ladders
    • Mainframe console or dumb terminals
    • Manlift or personnel lift
    • Metal inert gas welding machine
    • Paint application system
    • Paint brushes
    • Paint mixers
    • Paint robots
    • Paint rollers
    • Paint sprayers
    • Pallet trucks
    • Personal computers
    • Plasma arc welding machine
    • Pneumatic sanding machines
    • Power buffers
    • Power drills
    • Power riveter
    • Power sanders
    • Pressure or steam cleaners
    • Protective gloves
    • Respirators
    • Safety glasses
    • Sand blasting machine
    • Scaffolding
    • Screwdrivers
    • Shielded metal arc welding or stick welding machine
    • Slip joint pliers
    • Stencils or lettering aids
    • Thermal spray machine
    • Tungsten inert gas welding machine
    • Vehicle lift
    • Viscosimeters
    • Wire brushes
    • Workshop cranes

    Technology

    • Calendar and scheduling software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Facilities management software
    • Industrial control software
    • Inventory management software
    • Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
    • Office suite software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Time accounting software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

    • InDemand occupations are considered a priority by the state of Ohio.
    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.

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