Will “Folding Machine Operator” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

95% Chance of Automation

“Folding Machine Operator” will almost certainly be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #618 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

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Job Description

Bind books and other publications or finish printed products by hand or machine. May set up binding and finishing machines.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 51-5113.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 33,270.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 16.00
Currently, there are 52,730 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Print Binding and Finishing Workers”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Folding Machine Operator”

Bind new books, using hand tools such as bone folders, knives, hammers, or brass binding tools.
Repair, restore, or rebind old, rare, or damaged books, using hand tools.
Meet with clients, printers, or designers to discuss job requirements or binding plans.
Punch holes in and fasten paper sheets, signatures, or other material, using hand or machine punches and staplers.
Perform highly skilled hand finishing binding operations, such as grooving or lettering.
Cut binder boards to specified dimensions, using board shears, hand cutters, or cutting machines.
Monitor machine operations to detect malfunctions or to determine whether adjustments are needed.
Prepare finished books for shipping by wrapping or packing books and stacking boxes on pallets.
Apply color to edges of signatures using brushes, pads, or atomizers.
Read work orders to determine instructions and specifications for machine set-up.
Imprint or emboss lettering, designs, or numbers on book covers, using gold, silver, or colored foil, and stamping machines.
Set up or operate bindery machines, such as coil binders, thermal or tape binders, plastic comb binders, or specialty binders.
Examine stitched, collated, bound, or unbound product samples for defects, such as imperfect bindings, ink spots, torn pages, loose pages, or loose or uncut threads.
Stitch or glue endpapers, bindings, backings, or signatures, using sewing machines, glue machines, or glue and brushes.
Design original or special bindings for limited editions or other custom binding projects.
Insert book bodies in devices that form back edges of books into convex shapes and produce grooves that facilitate cover attachment.
Install or adjust bindery machine devices, such as knives, guides, rollers, rounding forms, creasing rams, or clamps, to accommodate sheets, signatures, or books of specified sizes.
Maintain records, such as daily production records, using specified forms.
Compress sewed or glued signatures, using hand presses or smashing machines.
Lubricate, clean, or make minor repairs to machine parts to keep machines in working condition.
Trim edges of books to size, using cutting machines, book trimming machines, or hand cutters.
Form book bodies by folding and sewing printed sheets to form signatures and assembling signatures in numerical order.
Train workers to set up, operate, and use automatic bindery machines.
Cut cover material to specified dimensions, fitting and gluing material to binder boards by hand or machine.
Set up or operate glue machines by filling glue reservoirs, turning switches to activate heating elements, or adjusting glue flow or conveyor speed.
Set up or operate machines that perform binding operations, such as pressing, folding, or trimming.

Related Technology & Tools

Hand dollies
Strapping machines
Push drills
Glue rollers
Paper drills
Rounding and backing machines
Knife folders
Forklifts
Long nose pliers
Signature feeders
Shrink wrap machines
Printing collators
Bookbinding utility knives
Corner rounders
Laminating machines
Smashing machines
Book binding rulers
Personal computers
Punching cradles
Hydraulic trimmers
Coil binding machines
Bindery stackers
Hot foil stamping machines
Plastic comb binding machines
Buckle folders
Case makers
Paper knives
Padding presses
Die cutting equipment
Book stitching equipment
Bookbinding awls
Cover feeders
Perfect binding machines
Bookbinding jigs
Hand trucks
Bookbinding machine conveyors
Pallet jacks
Digital duplicating machines
Paper punching machines
Thermal book binding equipment
Spine tapers
Tape binding machines
Rotary punches
Bookbinding glue brushes
Perforators
Saddle stitchers
Guillotine paper cutters
Band nippers
Paper jogging machines
Scoring machines
Coil crimping pliers
Spiral coil inserters
Board shears

Email software
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Houchen Bindery Library Automated Retrieval System LARS
Trade Bindery Software Bindery Estimating System
Microsoft Office
Trade Bindery Software Bindery Management System
Label printing software
Data entry software
Microsoft Publisher