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Manufacturing & ProductionISCO 8112

Stone planer

Stone planers operate and maintain planing machines that are used for stone blocks and slabs finishing. They manipulate the stone and ensure that the required parameters are according to specifications.

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Check yourself in a minute: stone planer

Rate 5 of the 19 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.

supply machine with appropriate tools

troubleshoot

use stone splitting techniques

remove processed workpiece

operate precision measuring equipment

About stone planer

As a stone planer, you will operate sophisticated planing machines designed to finish stone blocks and slabs to precise specifications. Your day-to-day work involves loading and positioning stone materials, monitoring cutting parameters, and ensuring every finished surface meets strict quality standards. You'll work with various stone types—granite, marble, limestone—each requiring different approaches and tool selections. Your attention to detail is critical, as even minor deviations can render expensive materials unusable. You'll perform regular measurements using precision equipment, troubleshoot machine issues quickly to minimize downtime, and maintain a clean, safe working environment by properly disposing of cutting waste. Safety is paramount in this role; you'll consistently wear protective equipment and follow strict protocols to prevent injuries from heavy machinery and sharp blades.

Key Work Functions

Core areas of responsibility for a stone planer.

1

Stone Loading and Positioning

  • Maneuver stone blocks into the planing machine using mechanical aids and manual techniques
  • Mark stone workpieces according to specifications before processing
  • Prepare stone surfaces for smoothing by removing debris and inspecting for defects
2

Machine Operation and Adjustment

  • Tend the planing machine, monitoring cutting speed and depth throughout the operation
  • Supply the machine with appropriate cutting blades and tools suited to stone type
  • Regulate cutting speed and settings based on stone hardness and quality requirements
3

Quality Control and Measurement

  • Operate precision measuring equipment to verify flatness and thickness of finished surfaces
  • Measure flatness of surfaces against quality standards and specifications
  • Inspect finished workpieces for defects, damage, or non-compliance with standards
4

Machine Maintenance and Troubleshooting

  • Troubleshoot machine malfunctions and perform basic repairs or adjustments
  • Ensure equipment availability by conducting routine maintenance checks
  • Use stone splitting techniques and methods to prepare materials efficiently
5

Safety and Waste Management

  • Wear appropriate personal protective gear including hard hat, safety glasses, and dust masks
  • Remove processed workpieces safely from the machine to prevent accidents
  • Dispose of cutting waste material properly according to environmental and safety regulations

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (19)

types of stone for workingtypes of stone for workingDifferent types of stone that stonemasons and other stone workers use to process into building materials. The mechanical properties of stone, such as their weight, tensile strength, durability. Econom...quality standardsquality standardsThe national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.types of sawing bladestypes of sawing bladesTypes of cutting blades used in the sawing process, such as band saw blades, crosscut blades, plytooth blades and others, made from tool steel, carbide, diamond or other materials.supply machine with appropriate toolssupply machine with appropriate toolsSupply the machine with the necessary tools and items for a particular production purpose. Monitor the stock and replenish when needed.troubleshoottroubleshootIdentify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.use stone splitting techniquesuse stone splitting techniquesDrill holes in a large stone and insert the plugs and feathers. Strike the plugs several times until a crack appears.remove processed workpieceremove processed workpieceRemove individual workpieces after processing, from the manufacturing machine or the machine tool. In case of a conveyor belt this involves quick, continuous movement.operate precision measuring equipmentoperate precision measuring equipmentMeasure the size of a processed part when checking and marking it to check if it is up to standard by use of two and three dimensional precision measuring equipment such as a caliper, a micrometer, an...dispose of cutting waste materialdispose of cutting waste materialDispose of possibly hazardous waste material created in the cutting process, such as swarf, scrap and slugs, sort according to regulations, and clean up workplace.regulate cutting speedregulate cutting speedRegulate the speed and depth of stone cutting by pulling the levers and turning the wheels.wear appropriate protective gearwear appropriate protective gearWear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.prepare stone for smoothingprepare stone for smoothingPrepare the stone for the smoothing process by wetting it with the hose.ensure equipment availabilityensure equipment availabilityEnsure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.tend planing machinetend planing machineTend and monitor the planing machine used to shape and smooth the stone blocks and slabs according to specifications.supply machinesupply machineEnsure the machine is fed the necessary and adequate materials and control the placement or automatic feed and retrieval of work pieces in the machines or machine tools on the production line.measure flatness of a surfacemeasure flatness of a surfaceMeasure the evenness of a workpiece's surface after it has been processed by checking for deviations from the desired perpendicular state.maneuver stone blocksmaneuver stone blocksPlace blocks of stone in the correct position of the machine bed using electric hoist, wooden blocks and wedges.mark stone workpiecesmark stone workpiecesMark planes, lines and points onto a stone workpiece to show where material will be removed.measure materialsmeasure materialsMeasure the raw materials prior to their loading in the mixer or in machines, ensuring they conform with the specifications.
Optional (18) — show
mechanical toolsmechanical toolsVarious type of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.mechanicsmechanicsTheoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.work ergonomicallywork ergonomicallyApply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.inspect quality of productsinspect quality of productsUse various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.lubricate engineslubricate enginesApply motor oil to engines to lubricate internal combustion engines in order to reduce wear, to clean and to cool the engine.perform test runperform test runPerform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, ...maintain equipmentmaintain equipmentRegularly inspect and perform all required activities to maintain the equipment in functional order prior or after its use.sharpen edged toolssharpen edged toolsIdentify dull edges to sharp tools, or any defect in the edge. Use appropriate equipment to safely and effectively sharpen the tool. Maintain and protect sharpened tools. Report irreparable faults to ...consult technical resourcesconsult technical resourcesRead and interpret technical resources such as digital or paper drawings and adjustment data in order to properly set up a machine or working tool, or to assemble mechanical equipment.report defective manufacturing materialsreport defective manufacturing materialsMaintain required company records and forms in order to report any defective materials or questionable conditions of manufacturing machinery and equipment.operate lifting equipmentoperate lifting equipmentTransport heavy objects using lifting equipment such as cranes, forklifts etc.keep records of work progresskeep records of work progressMaintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.set up the controller of a machineset up the controller of a machineSet up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.polish stone by handpolish stone by handPolish by hand the stone parts which cannot be polished by a machine, rubbing it with abrasive blocks.operate grinding hand toolsoperate grinding hand toolsOperate a variety of hand tools designed for grinding production materials, such as angle grinders, die grinders, grindstones, bench grinders, and others.polish stone surfacespolish stone surfacesPolish stone using polishing tools and machines in order to obtained a smooth and lustrous product.monitor automated machinesmonitor automated machinesContinuously check up on the automated machine's set-up and execution or make regular control rounds. If necessary, record and interpret data on the operating conditions of installations and equipment...use stonemason's chiseluse stonemason's chiselUse a stonemason's chisel with a mallet to chisel away stone and create a straight edge on the workpiece.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a stone planer do?

Stone planers operate and maintain planing machines that are used for stone blocks and slabs finishing. They manipulate the stone and ensure that the required parameters are according to specifications.

What skills does a stone planer need?

A stone planer needs 19 essential skills, including types of stone for working, quality standards, types of sawing blades, supply machine with appropriate tools, troubleshoot.

Will AI replace stone planer jobs?

The AI disruption score for stone planer is 40/100 (moderate risk). Skills most exposed to automation: remove processed workpiece, measure materials, quality standards. Most resilient: use stone splitting techniques, polish stone by hand, use stonemason's chisel.

AI Replacement Risk

40/ 100
Moderate Risk
Low riskHigh risk
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Quick Facts

SectorManufacturing & Production
ISCO GroupStationary plant and machine operators
Essential Skills19

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