Description
Cake press operators set up and tend the hydraulic presses that compress and bake plastic chips into cake moulds to produce plastic sheets. They regulate and adjust the pressure and temperature.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to cake press operator:
cake press tender
hydraulic press setter
plastic cake press operator
plastic cake press worker
cake press worker
cake press setter
plastic cake press operative
plastic production process operator
hydraulic press operative
plastic production process worker
hydraulic cake press operator
plastic cake press tender
cake press operative
hydraulic press worker
plastic cake press setter
plastic production process operative
hydraulic press tender
Minimum qualifications
A high school diploma is generally required the minimum required to work as a cake press operator.
ISCO skill level
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
- the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
- the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
- the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
Cake press operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.
Cake press operator career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to cake press operator.
blow moulding machine operator
injection moulding operator
plastic heat treatment equipment operator
compression moulding machine operator
fibre machine tender
Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of cake press operator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of cake press operator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
automated assembly line operator
plastic and rubber products manufacturing supervisor
pulp control operator
air separation plant operator
industrial robot controller
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of cake press operator.
- Plastic resins: The process of heating hydrocarbons, forming and combining polymers to create plastic resins which are used to make different kinds of products.
- Quality standards: The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.
- Types of plastic: Types of plastic materials and their chemical composition, physical properties, possible issues and usage cases.
- Hydraulic press parts: The qualities and applications of various parts of a hydraulic press, such as a piston, hydraulic cylinder, hydraulic fluid, ram, upper and lower die, and others.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of cake press operator.
- Optimise production processes parameters: Optimise and maintain the parameters of the production process such as flow, temperature or pressure.
- Monitor gauge: Oversee the data presented by a gauge concerning the measurement of pressure, temperature, thickness of a material, and others.
- Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
- Use personal protection equipment: Make use of protection equipment according to training, instruction and manuals. Inspect the equipment and use it consistently.
- Fill moulds: Fill up moulds with appropriate materials and ingredient mixes.
- Set press-cycle time: Set the press-cycle time by adjusting the dial indicator arm.
- Monitor automated machines: Continuously check up on the automated machine’s set-up and execution or make regular control rounds. If necessary, record and interpret data on the operating conditions of installations and equipment in order to identify abnormalities.
- Operate rollers: Operate the rollers to bond the plies and tread. Set-up the ply stitcher rollers, ensuring they are according to the specified width of stock.
- Extract products from moulds: Remove finished products from moulds and examine them in detail for anomalies.
- Move filled moulds: Correctly replace filled-up moulds; understand how to load moulds into the oven and how to store filled-up moulds onto a rack.
- Consult technical resources: Read and interpret technical resources such as digital or paper drawings and adjustment data in order to properly set up a machine or working tool, or to assemble mechanical equipment.
- Operate hydraulic machinery controls: Use correctly the controls of specialized machinery by turning valves, handwheels, or rheostats to move and control flow of fuels, water, and dry or liquid binders to machines.
- Ensure mould uniformity: Oversee uniformity of moulds. Use casting equipment and tools such as hand press.
- Set up the controller of a machine: Set up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.
- Monitor valves: Monitor and accordingly adjust the valves in order to allow a specific amount of liquids (such as ammonia sulfuric acid or viscous soap) or steam into the mixer or machine.
Optional knowledge and skills
Optional knowledge
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of cake press operator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Hydraulics: The power transmission systems that use the force of flowing liquids to transmit power.
- Types of moulding: The characteristics and procedures used in the various types of moulding such as blow moulding, compression moulding, injection moulding and thermoforming.
- Mechanics: Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of cake press operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Add colour: Add the required colour according to specifications for tinting batch.
- Inspect quality of products: Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.
- Replace filled pallets: Replace the pallets already filled with slabs with empty ones, using a lifting machine.
- Perform test run: Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.
- Maintain equipment: Regularly inspect and perform all required activities to maintain the equipment in functional order prior or after its use.
- Assemble moulds: Assemble iron moulds using handtools to hoist and bolt sections.
- Maintain moulds: Clean and repair moulds, e.g. by smoothening out imperfections on the surface.
- Trim excess material: Trim surplus material of fabric such as fiberglass mats, cloth, plastics or rubber.
- Mix moulding and casting material: Measure and mix ingredients for casting and moulding materials, according to appropriate formula.
- Feed hoppers: Feed hoppers with the required materials using various tools such as lifting equipment or shovels.
- Report defective manufacturing materials: Maintain required company records and forms in order to report any defective materials or questionable conditions of manufacturing machinery and equipment.
- Operate lifting equipment: Transport heavy objects using lifting equipment such as cranes, forklifts etc.
- Write batch record documentation: Write reports on the manufactured batches history taking into account the raw data, tests performed and compliance to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) of each batch of product.
- Clean moulds: Clean the mould using water, grease or oil, washing and scraping them by hand.
- Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
- Pallets loading: Ability to load and unload pallets on vehicles in a safe way.
- Measure materials: Measure the raw materials prior to their loading in the mixer or in machines, ensuring they conform with the specifications.
ISCO group and title
8142 – Plastic products machine operators
References
- Cake press operator – ESCO