An employee was operating a pointer, which reduces the end of copper tubing and allows it to go through a smaller die set to reduce its diameter. It requires two plugs to be set in place to be inserted in the tubing before it can be reduced or pointed. When the machine cycled, the tip of the employee's left thumb was caught by the machine's entry point, severing the tip of the thumb. A partial amputation, which included a small section of bone, was required to repair the injury.