Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.
Work Activities
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Measure and examine extruded products to locate defects and to check for conformance to specifications, adjusting controls as necessary to alter products.
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Determine setup procedures and select machine dies and parts, according to specifications.
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Start machines and set controls to regulate vacuum, air pressure, sizing rings, and temperature, and to synchronize speed of extrusion.
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Reel extruded products into rolls of specified lengths and weights.
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Install dies, machine screws, and sizing rings on machines that extrude thermoplastic or metal materials.
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Change dies on extruding machines, according to production line changes.
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Clean work areas.
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Weigh and mix pelletized, granular, or powdered thermoplastic materials and coloring pigments.
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Test physical properties of products with testing devices such as acid-bath testers, burst testers, and impact testers.
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Load machine hoppers with mixed materials, using augers, or stuff rolls of plastic dough into machine cylinders.
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Maintain an inventory of materials.
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Troubleshoot, maintain, and make minor repairs to equipment.
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Replace worn dies when products vary from specifications.
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Adjust controls to draw or press metal into specified shapes and diameters.
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Select nozzles, spacers, and wire guides, according to diameters and lengths of rods.
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Operate shearing mechanisms to cut rods to specified lengths.
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Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
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Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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Control Precision
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
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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.
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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.
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Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
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Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
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English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Education High school diploma or equivalent
- Work Experience No work experience
- Training 1 to 12 months on-the-job training
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Looking for technical training programs?
Check out these programs:
Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
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Dependability
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Attention to Detail
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Self Control
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Integrity
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Cooperation
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Adaptability/Flexibility
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Rubber or plastic extrusion dies
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Intensive mixers
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Extruders
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Compression die adaptor
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Belt conveyors
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Word processing software
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Spreadsheet software
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Presentation software
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Enterprise resource planning ERP software
