Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Also known as: Abrasive Wheel Molder, Air Bag Curer, Alfalfa Dehydrator Operator (+273 more)
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.
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What You'll 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.
Essential Skills
Career Fit Overview
Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.
Top passions
- Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
- Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
- Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.
Common styles
Attention to Detail, Dependability, Cautiousness, Stress Tolerance, Achievement Orientation
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Key Abilities
This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:
Technologies & Tools
Work Environment & Strengths
Common Strengths for This Career
- Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.46/5)
- Dependability (High importance: 4.43/5)
- Cautiousness (High importance: 4.21/5)
- Stress Tolerance (High importance: 3.62/5)
- Achievement Orientation (High importance: 3.51/5)
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Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.
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Also Known As
This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:
Career Fit FAQs
Is this career a good fit for me
This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.
Can this help if I want to stay in my field
Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.
What should I compare first
Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.
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