Will “Granulator” be Automated?

Core Skills & Abilities

• Lower pans inside cabinets to catch molten filaments until flow of polymer through packs has stopped.

• Open cabinet doors to cut multifilament threadlines away from guides, using scissors.

• Observe flow of finish across finish rollers, and turn valves to adjust flow to specifications.

• Wipe finish rollers with cloths and wash finish trays with water when necessary.

• Remove excess, entangled, or completed filaments from machines, using hand tools.

• Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form filaments from synthetic materials such as rayon, fiberglass, or liquid polymers.

• Start metering pumps and observe operation of machines and equipment to ensure continuous flow of filaments extruded through spinnerettes and to detect processing defects.

• Load materials into extruding and forming machines, using hand tools, and adjust feed mechanisms to set feed rates.

• Record operational data on tags, and attach tags to machines.

• Press metering-pump buttons and turn valves to stop flow of polymers.

• Move controls to activate and adjust extruding and forming machines.

• Record details of machine malfunctions.

• Clean and maintain extruding and forming machines, using hand tools.

• Remove polymer deposits from spinnerettes and equipment, using silicone spray, brass chisels, and bronze-wool pads.

• Press buttons to stop machines when processes are complete or when malfunctions are detected.

• Notify other workers of defects, and direct them to adjust extruding and forming machines.

• Observe machine operations, control boards, and gauges to detect malfunctions such as clogged bushings and defective binder applicators.