A professional who sets up and operates lapping machines to lap surfaces of flat, cylindrical, or spherical objects or of adjacent mechanical parts to specified finish or dimensions, following specifications, tooling instructions, and standard charts, applying knowledge of lapping procedures. Respnsibilities include:

• Reads blueprint or job order for product specifications, such as dimensions, tolerances, and number of parts to be lapped, tooling instructions, such as lapping speeds and pressures, work-holding fixtures, and laps to be used.
• Mounts laps on spindles with wrenches.
• Positions and secures workpieces in fixture or on machine table.
• Moves controls to set lapping speeds, tool pressure, and length of cycle and to guide action of laps against workpieces or workpieces against each other.
• Starts machine and brushes or sprays lapping compound on laps and workpieces.
• Inspects lapped workpiece for conformance to specifications, using instruments, such as comparator, flatness gauges, and surface plates.
• May be assisted by machine setter in setting up machine.
• May operate machine equipped with abrasive wheels instead of metal laps.
• May be required to have experience with custom or production work, with particular material or product, or with machine of particular type or trade name and be designated accordingly.