Fibreglass machine operator

Fibreglass machine operators control and maintain the machine that sprays a mix of resin and glass fibers onto products such as bathtubs or boat hulls to obtain strong and lightweight composite end-products.

A fibreglass machine operator typically does the following:

• Operates machine to spray melted glass fibers onto products, such as boat hulls and lawn furniture: Feeds strands of raw fiberglass into machine, monitors gauges, and moves controls to obtain specified temperature, pressure, and flow rate of molten glass through spray jets onto article to be coated.
• Cleans and adjusts machine, according to maintenance schedule or instructions from supervisor, using handtools and prescribed cleaning agents.

Fibreglass machine operators have similar working conditions as fiberglass laminators.

The following job titles also refer to fibreglass machine operator:

lead machine operator
fiberglass-spraying machine operator
fiberglass machine operator
fibreglass spraying machine technician
fibreglass-spraying machine operator
operator of fiberglass-spraying machine
operator of fibreglass-spraying machine

A high school diploma is generally the minimum required to work as a fibreglass machine operator. On-the-job training is usually provided by the employers.

A certificate is not necessary for this position.

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.

Fibreglass machine operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

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

pultrusion machine operator
filament winding operator
vacuum forming machine operator
blow moulding machine operator
fibre machine tender

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

plastic and rubber products manufacturing supervisor
automated assembly line operator
pulp control operator
air separation plant operator
industrial robot controller

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

• Fibreglass laminating: Process of applying multiple layers of fiberglass, a strong lightweight plastic reinforced with glass fibre woven into mats, using various techniques such as applying pressure or adhesives, welding or heating in order to provide strength and stability to the composite material. The fibreglass can also be sprayed in liquid form onto products.
• Coating substances: Have knowledge of various types of coating, providing a workpiece with one or more finishing layers of resins, sugars, powders, inactive and insoluable fillers, waxes, gums, plasticisers, colouring materials, lacquer, and others.

These skills are necessary for the role of fibreglass machine 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.
• Tend fibreglass machine: Tend the machine used to create fibreglass products such as lawn furniture or boat hulls by spraying molten glassfibre.
• Trim excess material: Trim surplus material of fabric such as fiberglass mats, cloth, plastics or rubber.
• Wear appropriate protective gear: Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
• Remove air bubbles from fibreglass: Use brushes and rollers to eliminate air bubbles that could weaken the fibreglass, to ensure perfect adherence of the resin to the product shell or to previous layers, and to avoid any structural defects.
• 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.
• Extract products from moulds: Remove finished products from moulds and examine them in detail for anomalies.
• Monitor processing environment conditions: Verify that the overall conditions of the room where the process will take place, such as temperature or air humidity, meet the requirements, and adjust if necessary.
• Feed hoppers: Feed hoppers with the required materials using various tools such as lifting equipment or shovels.
• 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.
• Feed fibreglass machine: Feed the machine with raw fibreglass according to specifications of the end-products to be developed.
• 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.
• Control glass fibres flow: Control and adjust the parameters to maintain the appropriate pressure, temperature and flow rate of the molten fibreglass through the spray jets.

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

• Composite materials: The properties of different materials developed in a laboratory, their usage per type of products, and how to create them.
• Plastic resins: The process of heating hydrocarbons, forming and combining polymers to create plastic resins which are used to make different kinds of products.
• Manufacturing of daily use goods: The manufacturing of items used in the daily life, personal use or daily practice. These products include protective safety equipment, drawing equipment, stamps, umbrellas, cigarette lighters, baskets, candles, and many other miscellaneous articles.
• Polymerisation: Polymerisation is a chemical process which has as output the creation of polymers or polymeric compounds by combining smaller molecules called monomers.
• Manufacturing of sports equipment: The manufacture of products and equipment used for both outdoor and indoor sports activities, such as balls, rackets, ski’s, surfboards, fishing, hunting, skating or fitness centre equipment.

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

• Finish plastic products: Finish the product by sanding, branding and polishing the plastic surface.
• 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.
• 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.
• Maintain moulds: Clean and repair moulds, e.g. by smoothening out imperfections on the surface.
• Control production flow remotely: Control remotely the flow of production from the start-up operations to the shutdown of the equipments and systems, using the control panel.
• Manage waste: Manage or dispose of significant amounts of waste materials or hazardous materials. Ensure required licenses and permits are in place and reasonable management practices, industry standards, or commonly accepted farming practices followed.
• Apply a protective layer: Apply a layer of protective solutions such as permethrine to protect the product from damage such as corrosion, fire or parasites, using a spray gun or paintbrush.
• Use non-destructive testing equipment: Use specific non-destructive testing methods and equipment that do not cause any damage to the product, such as X-rays, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection, industrial CT scanning and others, in order to find defects in and assure quality of a manufactured and a repaired product.
• Clean equipment: Perform cleaning routines after equipment use.
• Form moulding mixture: Form the moulding mixture adding specified amounts of materials, such as sand, clay, silica mud or plastic pellets, according to a fixed recipe, set up the controller of the melting tanks and monitor the melting process.
• Prevent casting adhesion: Prevent the casting sticking to the moulds by brushing the mould with oil, hot wax or graphite solution, according to the specification of each casting components.
• 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.
• Repair laminated structures: Inspect fiberglass laminated structures such as boat hulls and decks for deterioration or defects, and perform repair work accordingly.
• Operate fibreglass spray gun: Operate a gun which cuts the incoming fiberglass strands to the desired lengths, propels the pieces into the catalyzed resin when it comes out of the gun, and sprays the substance onto products to be laminated.
• 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.
• Measure materials: Measure the raw materials prior to their loading in the mixer or in machines, ensuring they conform with the specifications.

8142 – Plastic products machine operators

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References

1. Fibreglass machine operator – ESCO
2. Assemblers and Fabricators: Occupational Outlook Handbook – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators – O*NET Online
4. Featured image: By Geni – Photo by user:geni, CC BY-SA 4.0