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Specialties to know
Tool and die making
Building the dies, molds and fixtures that mass production runs on. Often seen as the top of the trade.
Five-axis machining
Complex aerospace and medical parts. Fewer people can do it.
Swiss screw machining
Tiny high-volume precision parts, common in medical devices. A specialty of its own.
Quality inspection
Coordinate measuring machines and GD&T (geometric dimensioning and tolerancing). A route off the floor without leaving the trade.