Canada · Trade examWhat's on the machinist Red Seal exam?
Lathes, milling machines and CNC take the most questions:
| Major work activity | Questions |
|---|---|
| Conventional lathes | 28 |
| Conventional milling machines | 28 |
| CNC machines | 27 |
| Common occupational skills | 13 |
| Benchwork | 11 |
| Precision grinding machines | 11 |
| Drill presses | 9 |
| Power saws | 8 |
Critical thinking makes up 25 to 35% of questions. Procedural and application questions make up 50 to 60%, and knowledge and recall 10 to 20%.
The machinist formula sheet
It's on the exam page and given out at the exam: bend allowance, cutting force, internal and external thread depth, feed rate per minute, measurement over wires, metric pitch diameter, RPM in imperial and metric, tap drill size, machining time for lathes and mills, and wire size, with pi at 3.1416. An acronym list is provided too.
Getting your machinist Red Seal
Machinist is a Red Seal trade in all 13 provinces and territories.
- Finish a machinist apprenticeship, or apply to your province or territory to challenge the exam with experience.
- Learn the formula sheet before exam day.
- Pass with 70% or more.
Sources: Red Seal and 1 more. Checked October 2026.
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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