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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Drill Press Operator

💰 $ - $

ManufacturingMachiningProductionSkilled Trades

🎯 Role Definition

The Drill Press Operator is a skilled manufacturing technician responsible for setting up, operating, and maintaining vertical, radial, and production drill presses to produce precision holes and features in metal, plastic, and composite components. This role requires strong blueprint reading, precision measuring, tooling selection, and quality inspection skills, plus a commitment to safety, continuous improvement, and meeting production schedules. Ideal candidates have hands-on experience in production machining environments, knowledge of speeds/feeds, and familiarity with shop math and GD&T.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • General production associate or manufacturing assembler
  • Entry-level machinist/apprentice from vocational/technical school
  • Machine shop helper or maintenance assistant

Advancement To:

  • Senior Drill Press Operator / Setup Technician
  • CNC Machinist / CNC Setup Programmer
  • Machining Supervisor or Production Lead
  • Maintenance Technician or Industrial Mechanic

Lateral Moves:

  • Quality Inspector / Metrology Technician
  • Fixture & Tooling Builder
  • Material Handler / Forklift Operator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Set up and operate vertical, radial, and production drill presses to drill, ream, tap, countersink, and chamfer holes to specified dimensions and tolerances per engineering drawings and work orders.
  • Read, interpret, and apply engineering blueprints, technical drawings, and job travelers to determine hole locations, sizes, tolerances, surface finish requirements, and machining sequences.
  • Select, install, and secure drill bits, annular cutters, reamers, taps, collets, chucks, sleeves, and fixtures; use edge finders and test cuts to verify alignment and location before full production.
  • Calculate and set spindle speeds, feeds, depth stops, and coolant flow based on material type, tooling, hole size, and production requirements to optimize tool life and part quality.
  • Use precision measuring instruments—calipers, micrometers, depth gauges, dial indicators, bore gauges, and thread gauges—to inspect first-piece and in-process parts and ensure conformance to drawing tolerances.
  • Perform first article inspections and document results in work orders, inspection reports, or electronic systems; make adjustments and revalidate process parameters as required.
  • Identify and segregate nonconforming parts, complete nonconformance reports (NCRs), and work with quality and engineering to implement corrective actions and containment.
  • Deburr, chamfer, and finish machined parts using hand tools, files, grinders, or deburring equipment to remove sharp edges and ensure customer-ready surface conditions.
  • Maintain accurate production logs: quantities produced, cycle times, scrap counts, downtime reasons, and tooling life, and communicate status daily to leads and supervisors.
  • Perform routine preventive maintenance and minor repairs on drill presses and associated fixtures—lubrication, belt changes, coolant maintenance, quill adjustments, and replacement of worn tooling—to ensure reliable uptime.
  • Safely handle heavy workpieces using cranes, hoists, slings, and pallet jacks; follow lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures for setup, maintenance, and tooling changes.
  • Establish and document standardized setup procedures, tooling lists, speeds/feeds charts, and inspection checkpoints for repeatability across shifts and operators.
  • Apply Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) concepts to control hole location, perpendicularity, concentricity, and positional tolerances during setup and inspection activities.
  • Perform tapping operations (manual and machine) and verify thread forms using go/no-go gauges and thread micrometers to ensure screw and fastener compatibility.
  • Troubleshoot common machining issues (runout, chatter, drill wander, chip evacuation problems) and adapt tooling, speeds, feed rates, or clamping methods to resolve issues quickly.
  • Operate drill press accessories and secondary equipment—reamers, countersink heads, tapping attachments, and coolant filtration systems—to complete multi-step part requirements.
  • Maintain tool and consumable inventory: record usage, regrind or resharpen drill bits, and request replacements or special tooling through purchasing or tool crib.
  • Participate in process improvement initiatives (5S, Lean, Kaizen) to reduce cycle time, lower scrap rates, and improve first-pass yield on drilling operations.
  • Collaborate with engineers and planners to qualify new parts, validate fixtures and tooling, and support transition from prototype to production runs.
  • Adhere strictly to workplace safety standards, PPE requirements, machine guarding rules, and environmental handling procedures for coolants and lubricants; participate in safety audits and continuous safety training.

Secondary Functions

  • Cross-train on related equipment (mills, lathes, deburr stations) to provide flexible coverage during staffing fluctuations and support manufacturing needs.
  • Assist quality and inspection teams with special measurement projects, CMM setups, and documentation for customer audits or first-article inspections (FAI).
  • Support manufacturing engineering by providing setup feedback, cycle time data, and tooling recommendations for process standardization and cost reduction.
  • Maintain a clean, organized workstation using 5S principles; ensure fixtures, tooling, and drawings are stored and labeled correctly.
  • Train and mentor junior operators and temporary staff on best practices for safe machine operation, inspection techniques, and efficient setups.
  • Log machine performance and maintenance needs into CMMS or maintenance logs and escalate mechanical issues to maintenance or engineering when beyond scope.
  • Participate in root cause analysis and corrective action teams to resolve recurring quality or production issues related to drilling processes.
  • Help manage kitted tooling and fixture inventories for scheduled jobs and communicate shortages to supervisors in advance of scheduled runs.
  • Support continuous improvement by recommending tooling changes, fixturing improvements, or machining parameter updates based on hands-on experience.
  • Assist in emergency response and recovery activities for production-critical equipment, including shift handovers and documentation of temporary containment steps.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Blueprint reading and interpretation for hole callouts, notes, and machining sequences.
  • Precision measurement and inspection using calipers, micrometers, depth gauges, dial indicators, bore gauges, and thread gauges.
  • Drill press setup expertise: chucks, collets, drill bushings, fixtures, edge finders, and work holding.
  • Tool selection and tool life management: drill bits, annular cutters, reamers, taps, countersinks, and spot drills.
  • Speeds and feeds calculation and adjustment for various materials (steel, stainless, aluminum, composites).
  • Knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) and its application to hole positional and perpendicularity requirements.
  • Tapping, thread verification, and basic thread repair techniques.
  • Basic machine maintenance and troubleshooting: lubrication, belt/drive adjustments, coolant system care, and simple part of preventive maintenance (PM).
  • Shop math and measurement conversions, including decimals, fractions, and basic trigonometry related to machining.
  • Experience with production documentation systems: paper travelers, ERP/MRP inputs, MES, or shop floor data collection tools.
  • Familiarity with safety systems and regulatory compliance: OSHA, lockout/tagout (LOTO), machine guarding, and PPE protocols.
  • Experience with 5S, Lean Manufacturing, and continuous improvement methodologies.
  • Ability to operate material handling equipment safely: hoists, overhead cranes, and forklifts (if required).

Soft Skills

  • Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing parts that meet tight tolerances.
  • Clear verbal and written communication to interact with supervisors, quality, engineers, and team members.
  • Problem-solving mindset with ability to troubleshoot production issues under time constraints.
  • Reliability and time management to meet production schedules and shift responsibilities.
  • Teamwork and willingness to cross-train and assist other departments.
  • Adaptability to changing production priorities and schedules.
  • Strong work ethic and safety-first attitude.
  • Documentation discipline to maintain accurate setup and inspection records.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED; basic vocational training or demonstrated hands-on machining experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Technical certificate or diploma in machining, manufacturing technology, or related skilled trades.
  • Associate degree in manufacturing technology or mechanical engineering technology is a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Machining Technology
  • Manufacturing/Industrial Technology
  • Mechanical or Precision Metalworking

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1 to 5+ years of hands-on experience operating drill presses or production machining equipment in a manufacturing environment.

Preferred:

  • 3+ years operating production and/or radial drill presses with proven ability to set up and run multiple part numbers, perform first article inspections, and implement process improvements.
  • Experience in a high-mix/high-volume shop environment, familiarity with ERP/MES for production reporting, and prior involvement in Lean initiatives.
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