Will “Machine Operator” be Automated?

Core Skills & Abilities

• Read work orders and communicate with coworkers to determine machine and equipment settings and adjustments and supply and product specifications.

• Remove and stack completed materials or products, and restock materials to be joined.

• Adjust machine components according to specifications such as widths, lengths, and thickness of materials and amounts of glue, cement, or adhesive required.

• Align and position materials being joined to ensure accurate application of adhesive or heat sealing.

• Maintain production records such as quantities, dimensions, and thicknesses of materials processed.

• Measure and mix ingredients to prepare glue.

• Monitor machine operations to detect malfunctions and report or resolve problems.

• Examine and measure completed materials or products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring devices such as tape measures, gauges, or calipers.

• Remove jammed materials from machines and readjust components as necessary to resume normal operations.

• Observe gauges, meters, and control panels to obtain information about equipment temperatures and pressures, or the speed of feeders or conveyors.

• Mount or load material such as paper, plastic, wood, or rubber in feeding mechanisms of cementing or gluing machines.

• Fill machines with glue, cement, or adhesives.

• Start machines, and turn valves or move controls to feed, admit, apply, or transfer materials and adhesives, and to adjust temperature, pressure, and time settings.

• Perform test production runs and make adjustments as necessary to ensure that completed products meet standards and specifications.

• Clean and maintain gluing and cementing machines, using solutions, lubricants, brushes, and scrapers.

• Transport materials, supplies, and finished products between storage and work areas, using forklifts.