DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
51-9041 Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Occupational Description:
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. Excludes “Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders" (51-9196) and "Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders" (51-6042).| Percentiles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| EDR 8 - Southwest | 10 | 4 | $13.64/hr | $1.42/hr | $10.03/hr | $10.75/hr | $12.17/hr | $14.78/hr | $18.50/hr |
| Minnesota | 1,500 | 209 | $16.57/hr | $0.55/hr | $11.37/hr | $13.12/hr | $15.78/hr | $19.19/hr | $22.74/hr |
| U S | 66,330 | 1,526 | $16.19/hr | $0.13/hr | $10.14/hr | $12.32/hr | $15.31/hr | $19.23/hr | $23.63/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change - | |
| Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic | 90 | $19.14/hr | N/A |
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | 40 | $13.39/hr | N/A |
| Sheet Metal Workers | 20 | N/A | N/A |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | N/A | $17.59/hr | N/A |
Tasks for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Installs dies or molds in machines to produce products from variety of materials, according to work order and specifications.
- Observes operation of machine and product to detect and diagnose cause of faulty operation and monitors gauges and recorders.
- Synchronizes speed of sections of machine when producing products involving several steps or processes.
- Installs, aligns, and adjusts neck rings, press plungers, and feeder tubes to molds to deliver material and form product.
- Selects and measures arbors and dies to verify size specified on work ticket.
- Collects, examines, measures, weighs, and tests product to verify machine setup and conformance of product to specifications.
- Cleans dies, arbors, compression chambers, and molds, using swabs, sponge, or airhose and swabs molds with solution to prevent sticking.
- Removes products from discharge belts and molds, mold components, and feeder tubes from machines.
- Ignites burner to preheat product or applies heat, using torch.
- Feeds product into machine by hand or conveyor.
- Pours, scoops, or dumps specified ingredients, metal assemblies, or mixtures into sections of machine prior to starting machine.
- Threads extruded strip through water tank and holddown bars or attaches strands to wire and draws through tube.
- Adjusts timer drum to set size of product material and rollers, cutoff knives, and stops to regulate thickness and length.
- Disassembles and repairs machinery and equipment.
- Routes sample to lab for analysis, according to procedure.
- Records product information, such as scrap quantity, machine number, and ingredients, to complete work ticket and places tickets with product.
- Couples air and gas lines to machine to maintain plasticity of material and to regulate solidification of final product.
- Presses control button to activate machinery and equipment.
- Operates machines and notifies supervisor or setup personnel of needed adjustments to machines.
- Turns controls to control machine functions, such as regulate air pressure, create vacuum, and coolant flow.
- Activates machine to shape or form products, such as candy bars, light bulbs, silver spoons, balloons, or insulation panels.
- Records and maintains production data, such as meter readings, and quantity, type, and dimensions of materials produced.
- Replaces worn or broken parts, such as nozzles, punches, and filters, and cleans and lubricates machine components to maintain in working order.
- Moves materials, supplies, components, and finished products between storage and work areas, using work aids, such as racks, hoists, and handtrucks.
- Examines, measures, and weighs materials or products to verify conformance to standards, using measuring devices, such as templates, micrometers, or scales.
- Selects and installs machine components, such as dies, molds, and cutters, according to specifications, using hand tools and measuring devices.
- Measures, mixes, cuts, shapes, softens, and joins materials and ingredients, such as powder, cornmeal, or rubber to prepare for machine processing.
- Reviews work orders, specifications, or instructions to determine materials, ingredients, procedures, components, settings, and adjustments for extruding, forming, pressing, or compacting machine.
- Removes materials or products from mold, or from extruding, forming, pressing, or compacting machine, and stacks or stores for additional processing.
- Adjusts machine components to regulate speed, pressure, and temperature of machine, and amount, dimensions, and flow of materials or ingredients.
- Fills molds or positions ingredients or materials, such as glass rods, candy, or rolls of paper, on machine feeding mechanism.
- Monitors machine operations and observes indicator lights and gauges, such as thermometers, voltage meters, and timers to detect malfunctions.
- Clears jams, removes defective or substandard materials or products, and readjusts machine components to conform to specifications.