Cutting machine operator

Cutting machine operators check leather, textiles, synthetic materials, dyes and footwear. They select areas of materials to be cut in terms of quality and stretch direction, take the decision of where and how to cut and programme and execute specific technology or machine. The equipment used for large surfaces of materials is frequently an automatic knife. Cutting machine operators position and handle leather or other materials. They adjust cutting machines, match footwear components and pieces, and check cut pieces against specifications and quality requirements.

The following job titles also refer to cutting machine operator:

trimming machine tender
triming machine operator
cutting operator for footwear bottoms
footwear clicker
bottoms cutting machine operator
belts & handles cutting machine operator
cutting operative
belts cutting machine operator
triming machine operative
sole cutter
triming machine tendor
cutting machine tender
cutting operator for linings and other materials
linings and other materials cuting operator
shoo machine tender
belts & handles cutting machine tender
leather goods machine cutting operator
soul trimer
shoe cuting machine operaotr
shoe cutting machine operator
shoo cutting machine operaotr
leather goods cutting operator for linings and other materials
soul cutter
leather goods cutting machine tender
sole trimmer
footwear machine tender
leather goods cutting attendant for linings and other materials
handles cutting machine operator
sole cuter
linings and other materials cutting operaotr
belts and handles cutting machine attendant
trimming machine operative
leather goods cutting technician for linings and other materials
shoo cuting machine operaotr
leather goods machine operator
bottom stock manufacturing machine operator
belts and handles cutting machine tender
shoe clicker
triming machine operaotr
shoo cutting machine operator
trimming machine tendor
leather goods cutting technologist for linings and other materials
sole trimer
triming machine tender
soul trimmer
soul cuter
cutting operator
triming machine operativ
linings and other materials cutting operator
leather goods machine tender
leather goods cutting worker for linings and other materials
boot and shoe clicker
trimming machine operator
trimming machine operativ
shoe cuting machine operator
shoe cutting machine operaotr
trimming machine operaotr
machine cutting operator
belts & handles cutting machine attendant
shoo cuting machine operator
shoo machine tendor
belts and handles cutting machine operator

No formal educational credential is required to work as a cutting machine operator.

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.

Cutting machine operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to cutting machine operator.

leather goods hand cutting operator
leather goods hand stitcher
leather goods stitching machine operator
automated cutting machine operator
leather goods finishing operator

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of cutting machine operator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of cutting machine operator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

leather goods quality control laboratory technician
footwear quality control laboratory technician
leather goods manufacturing technician
leather goods quality technician
footwear quality technician

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of cutting machine operator.

• Leather goods manufacturing processes: The processes, technology and machinery involved in the leather goods manufacturing.  
• Leather goods components: The various procedures and methods in the processing of leather materials and leather goods components like manufacturability and properties.  
• Footwear equipments: Functionality of the wide range of equipments and the basic rules of regular maintenance.
• Leather goods quality: The quality specifications of materials, processes, and final products, the most common defects in leather, quick tests procedures, laboratory tests procedures and standards, and the adequate equipment for quality checks. 
• Footwear materials: The characteristics, components, advantages and limitations of a wide range of materials used in footwear production: leather, leather substitutes (synthetics or artificial materials), textile, plastic, rubber etc. 
• Footwear machinery: The functionality of the wide range of machines, and the basic rules of regular maintenance.
• Manual cutting processes for leather: Cutting rules, variance of the leather properties on its surface and elongation directions of the footwear pieces.
• Footwear manufacturing technology: Footwear processes technology and machinery involved. The footwear manufacturing starts in the cutting/clicking room , cutting the uppers and bottom components. The upper components are joined together in the closing room by following a precise order of specific operations: skiving, folding, sewing etc. The closed upper, the insole and other bottom components are brought together in the assembling room, where the main operations are lasting and soling. The process ends with finishing operations in the finishing and packing room.
• Footwear quality: Quality specifications of materials, processes and final products, the most common defects in footwear, quick tests procedures, laboratory tests procedures and standards, adequate equipment for quality checks. Quality assurance of footwear production processes and fundamental concepts on quality including footwear quality framework and standards.
• Footwear components: Footwear components both for uppers (vamps, quarters, linings, stiffeners, toe puffs etc.) and bottoms (soles, heels, insoles etc.). Ecological concerns and the importance of recycling. Selection of suitable materials and components based on their influence on the footwear style and characteristics, properties and manufacturability. Procedures and methods in chemical and mechanical processing of leather and non-leather materials.
• Leather goods materials: The wide range of materials used in leather goods production: leather, leather substitutes (synthetics or artificial materials), textile, etc; the way of distinguishing among various materials based on their properties, advantages and limitations.

These skills are necessary for the role of cutting machine operator.

• Apply basic rules of maintenance to leather goods and footwear machinery: Apply basic rules of maintenance and cleanliness on footwear and leather goods production equipment and machines that you operate.
• Apply machine cutting techniques for footwear and leather goods: Adjust and establish the machine technical operating parameters for cutting footwear and leather goods. Check and select the cutting dies, classification of the cut pieces against cutting restrictions, specifications and quality requirements. Check and complete the cutting orders. Perform simple procedures for maintenance of machines.
• Maintain footwear assembling equipment: Produce plans for the frequency, operations, components and materials to be used in the maintenance of footwear. Install, program, tune and provide preventive and corrective maintenance for different machines and equipment involved in the footwear manufacturing. Assess the functionality and performance of the various equipment and machines, detect faults and correct problems, make repairs and substitute components and pieces, and perform routine lubrication as well as perform preventive and corrective maintenance. Register all technical information related to the maintenance.
• Perform manual cutting for footwear uppers: Check and complete cutting orders, select leather surfaces and classify cut pieces. Identify faults and defects on the leather surface. Recognise colours, shades and type of finishes. Use the following tools: knife, pattern templates, cutting board and marking needle.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of cutting machine operator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Pre-stitching processes and techniques for footwear and leather goods Technology including machinery and techniques for the preparation for leather goods components and footwear uppers.
• Automatic cutting systems for footwear and leather goods: The use and description of automatic systems technologies used in footwear and leather goods industry such as laser cutting, knife cutting, punch cutting, mill cutting, ultra-sound cutting, water jet cutting and the cutting machinery such as swing beam cutting presses, traveling head die cutting presses or strap cutting machines.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of cutting machine operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Operate automatic cutting systems for footwear and leather goods: Work with the equipment’s software. Digitise and mark the leather areas with faults in order to avoid them. Establish nesting and cutting restrictions for each pattern. Pick up, sort, upload patterns, check and complete cutting orders. Adjust the machines and equipment parameters and perform simple procedures for maintenance.
• Apply footwear and leather goods quality control techniques: Apply quality control in footwear and leather goods. Analyse the material, component or model using relevant quality criteria. Compare the material and other components received from the suppliers, or the final product, to standards. Use visual observation and report findings. Control the quantity of leather in the warehouse. Submit components to laboratory control test when necessary. Define the corrective measures when called for.
• Reduce environmental impact of footwear manufacturing: Assess the environmental impact of footwear manufacture and minimise environmental risks. Reduce environmentally harmful work practices in different stages of the footwear manufacturing.
• Use communication techniques: Apply techniques of communication which allow interlocutors to better understand each other and communicate accurately in the transmission of messages.
• Identify defects on raw hides: Analyse, identify and evaluate the possible defects present on raw hides/skins. Defects may be of natural origin, caused by bad practices at the farm, in transport, at the abattoir or generated during the manufacturing process.
• Measure working time in footwear and leather goods production: Calculate and establish operative times in goods manufacturing using various method and techniques. Control the production timings, comparing with estimates.
• Apply pre-stitching techniques: Apply pre-stitching techniques to footwear and leather goods in order to reduce thickness, to reinforce, to mark the pieces, to decorate or to reinforce their edges or surfaces. Be able to operate various machinery for splitting, skiving, folding, stitch marking, stamping, press punching, perforating, embossing, gluing, uppers pre-forming, crimping etc. Be able to adjust the working parameters of the machinery.
• Use IT tools: Application of computers, computer networks and other information technologies and equipment to storing, retrieving, transmitting and manipulating data, in the context of a business or enterprise.

8156 – Shoemaking and related machine operators

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References

1. Cutting machine operator – ESCO