What Does it Take to Be an Extruding & Forming Machine Operator?

Job Description: Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.

List of Extruding & Forming Machine Operator Job Duties

• Pull extruded fiberglass filaments over sleeves where binding solution is applied, and into grooves of graphite shoes that bind filaments into single strands of sliver.
• Load materials into extruding and forming machines, using hand tools, and adjust feed mechanisms to set feed rates.
• Turn petcocks to adjust the flow of binding fluid to sleeves.
• Press buttons to stop machines when processes are complete or when malfunctions are detected.
• Wipe finish rollers with cloths and wash finish trays with water when necessary.
• Lower pans inside cabinets to catch molten filaments until flow of polymer through packs has stopped.

Extruding & Forming Machine Operator Required Skills

These are the skills Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders say are the most useful in their careers:

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Types of Extruding & Forming Machine Operator Jobs

• Fiberglass Dowel Drawing Operator
• Fiber Machine Tender
• Line Technician
• Pelletizer Operator
• Spindraw Operator

Is There Going to be Demand for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?

There were about 20,200 jobs for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers in 2016 (in the United States).

Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders jobs are decreasing by a rate of -9.5%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of -1,900 jobs for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders by 2026. The BLS estimates 2,100 yearly job openings in this field per year.

The states with the most job growth for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers are California, Illinois, and Georgia.

Watch out if you plan on working in North Carolina, South Carolina, or Virginia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Extruding & Forming Machine Operator Salary

Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers Make between $24,240 and $50,100 a year. An Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders median salary is $34,200.

How much do Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers make in different U.S. states?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Pennsylvania	$46,040
Florida	$41,420
Missouri	$41,290
Kentucky	$40,370
Kansas	$40,290
Tennessee	$40,230
Ohio	$38,420
Virginia	$37,780
Wisconsin	$37,630
Louisiana	$37,530
South Carolina	$37,380
Connecticut	$36,910
California	$36,650
Oklahoma	$36,030
Massachusetts	$35,700
Illinois	$35,460
North Carolina	$35,130
Alabama	$34,840
Washington	$34,430
Arkansas	$34,340
Mississippi	$34,140
Georgia	$33,390
Texas	$33,280
Michigan	$32,730
Indiana	$31,730
West Virginia	$30,780

What Tools & Technology do Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders:

• Microsoft Excel

How do I Become an Extruding & Forming Machine Operator?

What kind of Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders requirements are there?

How Long Does it Take to Become Extruding & Forming Machine Operator?

Where Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Are Employed

Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those who work as Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

• Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons