Engineered wood board machine operator

Engineered wood board machine operators work with machines to bond particles or fibres made from wood or cork. Various industrial glues or resins are applied to obtain fibre board, particle board or cork board.

The following job titles also refer to engineered wood board machine operator:

particleboard machine operator
engineered wood press operator
engineered wood press technician
particle board machine technician
fibreboard machine technician
engineered wood board machine technician
engineered wood press specialist
particle board machine specialist
engineered wood machine technician
fibreboard machine specialist
particle board machine operator
engineered wood board gluing operator
engineered wood machine operator
engineered wood board machinist
fibreboard machine operator
engineered wood board gluing specialist
engineered wood machine specialist
particleboard machine technician
engineered wood board gluing technician
fibre board machine specialist
engineered wood board machine specialist
fibre board machine operator
engineered wood board machine worker
particleboard machine specialist
fibre board machine technician

A high school diploma is generally required to work as engineered wood board machine operator. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

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.

Engineered wood board machine operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

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

nailing machine operator
wood pallet maker
wood fuel pelletiser
veneer slicer operator
pulp technician

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of engineered wood board 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 engineered wood board machine operator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

pulp control operator
automated assembly line operator
machine operator supervisor
industrial robot controller
product development engineering technician

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of engineered wood board machine operator.

• Composite materials: The properties of different materials developped in a laboratory, their usage per type of products, and how to create them.
• 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 wood: Types of wood, such as birch, pine, poplar, mahogany, maple and tulipwood.

These skills are necessary for the role of engineered wood board machine operator.

• Remove inadequate workpieces: Evaluate which deficient processed workpieces do not meet the set-up standard and should be removed and sort the waste according to regulations.
• Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
• Remove processed workpiece: Remove individual workpieces after processing, from the manufacturing machine or the machine tool. In case of a conveyor belt this involves quick, continuous movement.
• 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.
• Work safely with machines: Check and safely operate machines and equipment required for your work according to manuals and instructions.
• Dispose of cutting waste material: Dispose of possibly hazardous waste material created in the cutting process, such as swarf, scrap and slugs, sort according to regulations, and clean up workplace.
• Wear appropriate protective gear: Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
• 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.
• Supply machine: Ensure the machine is fed the necessary and adequate materials and control the placement or automatic feed and retrieval of work pieces in the machines or machine tools on the production line.
• 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.
• Operate wood board press: Set up and monitor the machine that bonds wood chips mixed with adhesives and other materials together by applying pressure to create wooden or cork boards.

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

• Measure furnace temperature: Monitor the product temperature using the available tools and measuring instruments and adjust furnace temperature if needed.
• 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.
• Record production data for quality control: Keep records of the machine’s faults, interventions and irregularities for quality control.
• Monitor chipper machine: Monitor in-feed and clear the chipper equipment of debris to avoid blockages and jams in order to secure a free flow of materials.
• Record test data: Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.
• Replace sawing blade on machine: Replace the old blade of a sawing machine with a new one by removing the chip brush, taking away the front blade guide, loosening the blade tension and removing the blade. Assemble and install new blade by replacing the front blade guide, installing the chip brush, replacing the blade cover and adjusting blade tension.
• Identify hazards in the workplace: Perform safety audits and inspections on workplaces and workplace equipment. Ensure that they meet safety regulations and identify hazards and risks.
• Operate debarking machine: Set up and monitor the machine that strips remaining bark from timber or logs before they can be further processed, for example chipped for pulp production.
• Conduct routine machinery checks: Check machinery and equipment to ensure reliable performance during use and operations in worksites.
• Repair wood board machinery: Repair broken components or systems of machinery and equipment used to create wooden or cork boards, using hand and power tools.
• Maintain wood board machinery: Handle various machinery and equipment used to join wood together to create wooden or cork boards, to ensure that it is clean and in safe, working order. Perform routine maintenance on equipment and adjust when necessary, using hand and power tools.
• Use testing equipment: Use equipment to test performance and operation of machinery.
• Perform machine maintenance: Perform regular maintenance, possibly including corrections and alterations, on a machine or machine tool to ensure it remains in a proper productive state.
• Provide advice to technicians: Offer help and advice to service technicians in case of machine malfunctions and other repair tasks.
• Prepare production reports: Prepare a comprehensive and unbiased report on wood technology production and progressive development of wood based materials.
• Dry wood: Adjust machine settings to adapt drying processes, drying times, and special treatments to the requirements of the requested wood to be dried.
• Consult technical resources: Read and interpret such 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.
• Check quality of raw materials: Check the quality of basic materials used for the production of semi-finished and finished goods by assessing some of its characteristics and, if needed, select samples to be analysed.
• Apply wood kiln drying technologies: Dry timber stacks with modern and dated kiln technologies, such as dehumidification, solar, vacuum and conventional drying.
• Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
• Inspect machinery: Check machine equipment for proper performance and detect faults and malfunctions. Diagnose malfunctions using testing equipment to determine the required repair.
• Operate wood chipper: Operate wood chipper machine by inserting long logs, poles, and pieces of timber, producing wood chips.
• Operate wood sawing equipment: Operate various machinery and equipment to cut wood in different sizes and shapes.

8172 – Wood processing plant operators

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References

1. Engineered wood board machine operator – ESCO