How to become Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender in 2024

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender Set up, operate, or tend machines, such as glass-forming machines, plodder machines, and tuber machines, to shape and form products such as glassware, food, rubber, soap, brick, tile, clay, wax, tobacco, or cosmetics.

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender is Also Know as

In different settings, Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender is titled as

  • Extruder Operator
  • Extrusion Operator
  • Glass Forming Crew Member
  • Machine Operator
  • Press Operator
  • Tuber Operator

Education and Training of Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender is categorized in Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Experience Required for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Education Required for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Degrees Related to Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender

Training Required for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender

Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Related Ocuupations

Some Ocuupations related to Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender in different industries are

What Do Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender do?

  • Adjust machine components to regulate speeds, pressures, and temperatures, and amounts, dimensions, and flow of materials or ingredients.
  • Examine, measure, and weigh materials or products to verify conformance to standards, using measuring devices such as templates, micrometers, or scales.
  • Monitor machine operations and observe lights and gauges to detect malfunctions.
  • Press control buttons to activate machinery and equipment.
  • Turn controls to adjust machine functions, such as regulating air pressure, creating vacuums, and adjusting coolant flow.
  • Review work orders, specifications, or instructions to determine materials, ingredients, procedures, components, settings, and adjustments for extruding, forming, pressing, or compacting machines.
  • Select and install machine components, such as dies, molds, and cutters, according to specifications, using hand tools and measuring devices.
  • Record and maintain production data, such as meter readings, and quantities, types, and dimensions of materials produced.
  • Notify supervisors when extruded filaments fail to meet standards.
  • Synchronize speeds of sections of machines when producing products involving several steps or processes.
  • Feed products into machines by hand or conveyor.
  • Clear jams, and remove defective or substandard materials or products.
  • Move materials, supplies, components, and finished products between storage and work areas, using work aids such as racks, hoists, and handtrucks.
  • Swab molds with solutions to prevent products from sticking.
  • Complete work tickets, and place them with products.
  • Activate machines to shape or form products, such as candy bars, light bulbs, balloons, or insulation panels.
  • Remove molds, mold components, and feeder tubes from machinery after production is complete.
  • Remove materials or products from molds or from extruding, forming, pressing, or compacting machines, and stack or store them for additional processing.
  • Measure, mix, cut, shape, soften, and join materials and ingredients, such as powder, cornmeal, or rubber to prepare them for machine processing.
  • Send product samples to laboratories for analysis.
  • Thread extruded strips through water tanks and hold-down bars, or attach strands to wires and draw them through tubes.
  • Ignite burners to preheat products, or use torches to apply heat.
  • Clean dies, arbors, compression chambers, and molds, using swabs, sponges, or air hoses.
  • Disassemble equipment to repair it or to replace parts, such as nozzles, punches, and filters.
  • Pour, scoop, or dump specified ingredients, metal assemblies, or mixtures into sections of machine prior to starting machines.
  • Install, align, and adjust neck rings, press plungers, and feeder tubes.
  • Couple air and gas lines to machines to maintain plasticity of material and to regulate solidification of final products.
  • Measure arbors and dies to verify sizes specified on work tickets.

Qualities of Good Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender

  • Rate Control: The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
  • Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
  • Auditory Attention: The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
  • Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Trunk Strength: The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
  • Stamina: The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
  • Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Depth Perception: The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
  • Hearing Sensitivity: The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
  • Response Orientation: The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
  • Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Visual Color Discrimination: The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Extent Flexibility: The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Wrist-Finger Speed: The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.
  • Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Dynamic Strength: The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
  • Time Sharing: The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
  • Gross Body Coordination: The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
  • Speed of Closure: The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
  • Speed of Limb Movement: The ability to quickly move the arms and legs.
  • Mathematical Reasoning: The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Number Facility: The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Originality: The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Gross Body Equilibrium: The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
  • Memorization: The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
  • Glare Sensitivity: The ability to see objects in the presence of a glare or bright lighting.
  • Spatial Orientation: The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
  • Dynamic Flexibility: The ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Explosive Strength: The ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw an object.
  • Sound Localization: The ability to tell the direction from which a sound originated.
  • Peripheral Vision: The ability to see objects or movement of objects to one's side when the eyes are looking ahead.
  • Night Vision: The ability to see under low-light conditions.

Tools Used by Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender

  • Air hoses
  • Blow torches
  • Burners
  • Compacting machines
  • Computer numerically controlled CNC Extruders
  • Core cutters
  • Digital bench scales
  • Digital calipers
  • Digital micrometers
  • Film winders
  • Forming machines
  • Glass forming machines
  • High speed wrapping machines
  • Hopper dryers
  • Laser micrometers
  • Machine templates
  • Microwave extruders
  • Plodder machines
  • Power lifts
  • Precision rulers
  • Pressing machines
  • Pressure gauges
  • Rubber extruders
  • Scrap grinders
  • Sheeters
  • Single screw extruders
  • Slitters
  • Trim grinders
  • Trim knives
  • Trim winders
  • Tuber machines
  • Twin-barrel extrusion machines
  • Vulcanizer presses
  • Wheeled forklifts

Technology Skills required for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender

  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word
  • Production scheduling software
  • SAP software