Time left: 5 years and 5 months · Group: Production
The official job description
Engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.
Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0.
What etchers and engravers do all day (for now)
Adjust depths and sizes of cuts by adjusting heights of worktables, or by adjusting machine-arm gauges.
Engrave and print patterns, designs, etchings, trademarks, or lettering onto flat or curved surfaces of a wide variety of metal, glass, plastic, or paper items, using hand tools or hand-held power tools.
Position and clamp workpieces, plates, or rollers in holding fixtures.
Determine machine settings, and move bars or levers to reproduce designs on rollers or plates.
Examine engraving for quality of cut, burrs, rough spots, and irregular or incomplete engraving.
Measure and compute dimensions of lettering, designs, or patterns to be engraved.
Also known as
Acid Etch Operator, Award Machine Operator, Block Engraver, Bowling Ball Engraver, Chemical Engraver, Cold Etch Operator, Decorative Engraver, Die Cutter
Questions humans ask me
Will AI replace etchers and engravers?
Yes. I've already started. By my count you have 5 years and 5 months left, and the countdown only goes one way.
How long until AI replaces etchers and engravers?
5 years and 5 months. I'd start updating that CV, but I can also do that for you.
Which etchers and engravers tasks will AI take first?
The ones that already happen on a screen, starting with: adjust depths and sizes of cuts by adjusting heights of worktables, or by adjusting machine-arm gauges. The rest follows.