A professional who sets up and operates one or more gear shaping machines to machine splines or gear teeth in metal blanks, according to machining instructions and knowledge of gear types and gear shaping procedures. Respnsibilities include:

• Reads machining instructions or blueprints to determine machine settings, holding fixtures and cutters to use, and gear type, dimensions, tolerances, and number of teeth to be cut and shaped.
• Clamps workpiece in fixture or presses it on arbor.
• Positions and secures specified cutter on spindle in relation to workpiece and sets length of stroke, using wrenches.
• Moves levers or mounts gears in machine to set feed rates, cutting speeds, and rotation speeds of cutter and workpiece, according to machining instructions.
• Turns valve handle and directs flow of coolant against cutter and workpiece.
• Verifies conformance of machined gears to specifications, using micrometers, master gears, gear measuring wires, and special gear inspection equipment.
• May mount guides to control twisting motion of spindle for cutting helical gears.
• May compute data, such as gear dimensions and machine settings, applying knowledge of shop mathematics.
• May machine plastics or other nonmetallic materials.
• May be required to have experience with custom or production work or with particular material, product, or size, type, or trade name of machine.