ISCO-08 8122
Metal finishing, plating and coating machine operators
5.5%
ADI · 388th of 433 · 95% interval 0.9–11.5
An AI agent can at least partly carry out 5.5% of the task time of metal finishing, plating and coating machine operators, and finish 0.0% alone. The barrier that holds most of the rest back is access to the systems the work runs on.
ADI · partial or full5.5%
388th of 433 · interval 0.9–11.5
ADI3 · full delegation0.0%
201st of 433 · interval 0.0–0.0
ADIs · share of time14.0%
368th of 433 · interval 10.7–17.8
Evidence73
task statements rated by two models and weighted by importance and frequency. World employment: 0.6 million.
Task weight by level
How the tasks rate
L0No meaningful role · 68.6%L1Augmentation · 25.9%L2Partial delegation · 5.5%L3Full delegation · 0.0%
Barriers
What stops the agent
Share of task weight flagged by each barrier; a task can carry several.
73 task statements, heaviest first
| Task statement (O*NET occupation) | Sonnet · Haiku | Barriers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions.Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 3.2% | L1 | L1L2 | 30% | 4.3 h | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber.Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 3.1% | L0 | L0L1 | 8% | 2.2 h | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Set controls to regulate temperature and length of cycles, and start conveyors, pumps, agitators, and machines.Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 3.0% | L1 | L1L1 | 22% | 10 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Draw samples for laboratory analysis, or test solutions for conformance to specifications, such as acidity or specific gravity.Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders · supplemental task | 2.8% | L0 | L0L1 | 18% | 18 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Record gauge readings, materials used, processing times, or test results in production logs.Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 2.8% | L1 | L1L2 | 42% | 15 min | Physical presence, Accountability, Access to systems |
| Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations.Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 2.8% | L1 | L1L2 | 25% | 18 min | Physical presence, Accountability, Access to systems |
| Examine and inspect machines to detect malfunctions.Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 2.7% | L1 | L1L1 | 18% | 22 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Adjust, clean, and lubricate mechanical parts of machines, using hand tools and grease guns.Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders · supplemental task | 2.7% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 25 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Load machines with objects to be processed and unload them after cleaning, placing them on conveyors or racks.Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders · supplemental task | 2.7% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 15 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 2.6% | L0 | L0L0 | 6% | 38 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Measure, weigh, or mix cleaning solutions, using measuring tanks, calibrated rods or suction tubes.Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 2.3% | L0 | L0L1 | 10% | 18 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 2.0% | L0 | L0L1 | 9% | 20 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1.8% | L1 | L1L1 | 18% | 12 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1.8% | L0 | L0L1 | 12% | 2.4 h | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Inspect coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1.8% | L1 | L1L1 | 15% | 8 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
Show the other 58 tasks
| Task statement (O*NET occupation) | Sonnet · Haiku | Barriers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remove objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observe objects to verify conformance to specifications.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1.7% | L0 | L0L0 | 8% | 10 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Maintain production records.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1.7% | L2 | L2L2 | 62% | 25 min | Accountability, Access to systems |
| Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1.7% | L1 | L1L1 | 28% | 12 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Immerse objects to be coated or plated into cleaning solutions, or spray objects with conductive solutions to prepare them for plating.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.6% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 18 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.6% | L0 | L1L0 | 12% | 10 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Determine sizes and compositions of objects to be plated, and amounts of electrical current and time required.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.5% | L2 | L2L2 | 60% | 25 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1.5% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 15 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Rinse coated objects in cleansing liquids and dry them with cloths, centrifugal driers, or by tumbling in sawdust-filled barrels.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1.5% | L0 | L0L0 | 2% | 12 min | Physical presence |
| Suspend objects, such as parts or molds from cathode rods, or negative terminals, and immerse objects in plating solutions.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.5% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 15 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Examine completed objects to determine thicknesses of metal deposits, or measure thicknesses by using instruments such as micrometers.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1.5% | L0 | L1L0 | 10% | 12 min | Physical presence, Accountability, Access to systems |
| Test machinery to ensure that it is operating properly.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.5% | L1 | L1L1 | 12% | 25 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Suspend sticks or pieces of plating metal from anodes, or positive terminals, and immerse metal in plating solutions.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.4% | L0 | L0L0 | 2% | 12 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Monitor and measure thicknesses of electroplating on component parts to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.4% | L0 | L0L0 | 5% | 18 min | Physical presence, Accountability, Access to systems |
| Read production schedules to determine setups of equipment and machines.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.4% | L2 | L2L2 | 58% | 20 min | Access to systems |
| Operate hoists to place workpieces onto machine feed carriages or spindles.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.4% | L0 | L0L0 | 2% | 8 min | Physical presence, Accountability, Access to systems |
| Position and feed materials into processing machines, by hand or by using automated equipment.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.4% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 20 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Position objects to be plated in frames, or suspend them from positive or negative terminals of power supplies.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.4% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 15 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Measure, mark, and mask areas to be excluded from plating.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.3% | L0 | L0L1 | 10% | 30 min | Physical presence |
| Place plated or coated materials on racks and transfer them to ovens to dry for specified periods of time.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.3% | L0 | L0L0 | 3% | 15 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Adjust controls to set temperatures of coating substances and speeds of machines and equipment.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.3% | L1 | L1L1 | 20% | 12 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Clean and maintain equipment, using water hoses and scrapers.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.3% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 45 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Operate sandblasting equipment to roughen and clean surfaces of workpieces.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.2% | L0 | L0L1 | 6% | 30 min | Physical presence |
| Position containers to receive parts, and load or unload materials in containers, using dollies or handtrucks.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.1% | L0 | L0L0 | 1% | 15 min | Physical presence |
| Clean workpieces, using wire brushes.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.1% | L0 | L0L0 | 1% | 10 min | Physical presence |
| Replace worn parts and adjust equipment components, using hand tools.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.1% | L0 | L0L0 | 5% | 52 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 1.1% | L0 | L0L0 | 2% | 25 min | Physical presence |
| Measure and set stops, rolls, brushes, and guides on automatic feeders and conveying equipment or coating machines, using micrometers, rules, and hand tools.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.1% | L0 | L0L1 | 10% | 25 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Mix and test solutions, and turn valves to fill tanks with solutions.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 1.0% | L0 | L0L0 | 8% | 38 min | Physical presence, Accountability, Access to systems |
| Clean equipment and work areas.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.9% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 42 min | Physical presence |
| Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.9% | L0 | L0L1 | 4% | 45 min | Physical presence |
| Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.9% | L1 | L1L1 | 18% | 30 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.9% | L0 | L0L1 | 6% | 1.0 h | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Fill hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.9% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 18 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Start and stop operation of machines, using levers or buttons.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.9% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 2 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.9% | L1 | L1L2 | 25% | 45 min | Physical presence, Accountability, Access to systems |
| 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.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.9% | L0 | L0L1 | 12% | 10 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Operate auxiliary machines or equipment used in coating or painting processes.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.8% | L0 | L0L1 | 9% | 30 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.8% | L0 | L0L1 | 6% | 1.0 h | Physical presence |
| Weigh or measure chemicals, coatings, or paints before adding them to machines.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.8% | L0 | L0L1 | 12% | 15 min | Physical presence, Accountability |
| Attach hoses or nozzles to machines, using wrenches and pliers, and make adjustments to obtain the proper dispersion of spray.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.8% | L0 | L0L1 | 6% | 32 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Observe machine gauges and equipment operation to detect defects or deviations from standards, and make adjustments as necessary.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.8% | L1 | L1L2 | 25% | 22 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Determine paint flow, viscosity, and coating quality by performing visual inspections, or by using viscometers.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.8% | L1 | L1L1 | 15% | 18 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Record operational data on specified forms.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.8% | L2 | L2L2 | 50% | 12 min | Physical presence, Accountability, Access to systems |
| Thread or feed items or products through or around machine rollers and dryers.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.8% | L0 | L0L0 | 2% | 18 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Examine, measure, weigh, or test sample products to ensure conformance to specifications.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.8% | L0 | L0L2 | 22% | 15 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Operate lifting or moving devices to move equipment or materials to access areas to be painted.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.8% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 30 min | Physical presence, Accountability, Access to systems |
| Remove materials, parts, or workpieces from painting or coating machines, using hand tools.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.8% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 9 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Preheat workpieces in ovens.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 0.8% | L0 | L0L0 | 6% | 22 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Perform equipment maintenance, such as cleaning tanks and lubricating moving parts of conveyors.Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · supplemental task | 0.8% | L0 | L0L1 | 6% | 1.3 h | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Set up portable equipment, such as ventilators, exhaust units, ladders, or scaffolding.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.7% | L0 | L0L1 | 8% | 38 min | Physical presence, Accountability, Access to systems |
| Apply primer over any repairs made to surfaces.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.7% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 30 min | Physical presence |
| Adjust controls on infrared ovens, heat lamps, portable ventilators, or exhaust units to speed the drying of surfaces between coats.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.7% | L0 | L0L1 | 15% | 8 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Fill small dents or scratches with body fillers and smooth surfaces to prepare for painting.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.7% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 38 min | Physical presence |
| Mix paints to match color specifications or original colors, stirring or thinning paints, using spatulas or power mixing equipment.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.7% | L0 | L0L2 | 20% | 28 min | Physical presence |
| Remove grease, dirt, paint, or rust from surfaces in preparation for paint application, using abrasives, solvents, brushes, blowtorches, washing tanks, or sandblasters.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.7% | L0 | L0L1 | 7% | 52 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
| Sand and apply sealer to properly dried finish.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · supplemental task | 0.7% | L0 | L0L1 | 6% | 42 min | Physical presence |
| Buff and wax the finished paintwork.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.6% | L0 | L0L0 | 4% | 1.1 h | Physical presence |
| Use brush to hand-paint areas in need of retouching or unreachable with a spray gun.Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 0.6% | L0 | L0L1 | 6% | 32 min | Physical presence, Access to systems |
Level: consensus of the two models (the lower level when they disagree). Share: part of the task’s working time an agent could take over. Human time: minutes a competent person needs for one instance, as estimated by the models.
Against other measures
Exposure is not delegation
| Measure | Value | Percentile | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADI (this index) | 5.5% | 11 | |
| Eloundou et al. (2024), GPT exposure β | 0.088 | 17 | |
| Felten et al. (2021), AI occupational exposure | -1.051 | 19 | |
| Webb (2020), AI patent exposure | 84.923 | 83 | |
| Eisfeldt et al. (2026), generative AI exposure | 0.052 | 25 | |
| Anthropic Economic Index, observed use | 0 | 16 |
Earlier indices measure whether AI can touch a task; ADI measures how much of it an agent can carry out from a goal. – : the source does not cover this occupation.
Same sub-major group (81)
Neighbouring occupations
Dashed line: metal finishing, plating and coating machine operators (5.5%).
Cite this record
Text
Espinal Maya, Cristian, and Santiago Jiménez Londoño. 2026. ADI v2026.1: Agent Delegability Index data, code and MCP server. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23552918. Record: Metal finishing, plating and coating machine operators (ISCO-08 8122), https://balamlabs.org/adi/occupations/8122
BibTeX
@misc{espinal2026adidata,
title = {{ADI} v2026.1: Agent Delegability Index data, code and {MCP} server},
author = {Espinal Maya, Cristian and Jim{\'e}nez Londo{\~n}o, Santiago},
year = {2026},
publisher = {Zenodo},
version = {v2026.1},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23552918},
url = {https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23552918},
note = {Record: Metal finishing, plating and coating machine operators (ISCO-08 8122)}
}Machine-readable
The same record as static JSON, with its citation: /adi/v2026.1/isco/8122.json.