Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders set up, operate, or tend paper goods machines that perform a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, corrugating, banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, forming, or sealing paper or paperboard sheets into products.
Paper machine operators, also known as folding machine operators, are skilled individuals who set up, operate, and tend paper goods machines that perform a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, forming, and sealing paper or paperboard sheets into various kind of products.
Folding machine operators have to perform several duties, which include observing the operation of various machines to spot and revise machine malfunctions, installing attachments to machines, cutting products to specified dimensions, placing rolls of paper or cardboard on machine feed tracks, stamping products with information such as dates, and more.
Most folding machine operators enter this field with a high school diploma, although there are no specific educational requirements for this career.
Folding machine operators’ salary at entry-level is average but increases as they gain experience. Factors such as experience, expertise, location and employer also determine folding machine operator salary.
Skills required by paper machine operators to advance and be successful include operations monitoring, operation and control, critical thinking, and coordination. They also require knowledge in key areas such as production and processing, English language, mechanics, mathematics, and customer and personal service.
Qualifications
Every career requires an element of study and academic qualification, and there can be several study routes and pathways you can take. In following any academic pathway you will study subjects that contribute to the specialised knowledge required to achieve your career goals. These qualifications provide a future employer with the evidence that you have the desired knowledge, understanding and experience of their industry, so it’s important to consider the various types of qualifications available to you and to understand how they can boost your career and create opportunities for you.
- NSQF Level 4 Machine Operator
- ITI Course Machine Operator
Tasks
- Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.
- Start machines and move controls to regulate tension on pressure rolls, to synchronize speed of machine components, and to adjust temperatures of glue or paraffin.
- Adjust guide assemblies, forming bars, and folding mechanisms according to specifications, using hand tools.
- Install attachments to machines for gluing, folding, printing, or cutting.
- Measure, space, and set saw blades, cutters, and perforators, according to product specifications.
- Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension.
- Stamp products with information such as dates, using hand stamps or automatic stamping devices.
- Place rolls of paper or cardboard on machine feed tracks, and thread paper through gluing, coating, and slitting rollers.
- Fill glue and paraffin reservoirs, and position rollers to dispense glue onto paperboard.
- Cut products to specified dimensions, using hand or power cutters.
Progression Routes
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