About This Career

Sets up, operates, or tends machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.

This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Production pathway.

A person in this career:

• Sets up, operates, or tends machines that extrude and form filaments from synthetic materials such as rayon, fiberglass, or liquid polymers.
• Presses buttons to stop machines when processes are complete or when malfunctions are detected.
• Notifies other workers of defects, and directs them to adjust extruding and forming machines.
• Observes machine operations, control boards, and gauges to detect malfunctions such as clogged bushings and defective binder applicators.
• Loads materials into extruding and forming machines, using hand tools, and adjusts feed mechanisms to set feed rates.
• Moves controls to activate and adjust extruding and forming machines.
• Records details of machine malfunctions.
• Cleans and maintains extruding and forming machines, using hand tools.
• Observes flow of finish across finish rollers, and turns valves to adjust flow to specifications.
• Removes polymer deposits from spinnerettes and equipment, using silicone spray, brass chisels, and bronze-wool pads.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
• Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Picking out a particular sound in the presence of other sounds
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

• Rotating shift work