Glass forming machine operator

Glass forming machine operators operate and maintain machines that press or blow molten glass in moulds to form or shape products, such as neons, bottles, jars and drinking glasses. They set up and adjust machines, and weigh, measure and check production samples to check conformity to the set specifications.

Glass forming machine operators typically do the following:

• Prepare and set up glass feeding and forming machines.
• Operate and maintain machines that press or blow molten glass into moulds.
• Heat and mould glass sheets on the contour of metal supports.
• Spray or brush moulds with an oily solution to prevent glass adhesion.
• Examine samples of products, weigh, and measure them to verify the degree of conformity to specifications.

The following job titles also refer to glass forming machine operator:

production machine operator
glass forming machine worker
glass production operator
glass forming machine operative
glass-blowing machine operator
glass moulder
glass forming and finishing machine operator
glass molder
glass product production worker

A high school diploma is generally required to work as a glass forming 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.

Glass forming machine operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

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

glass annealer
drawing kiln operator
metal annealer
pultrusion machine operator
vacuum forming machine operator

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of glass forming 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 glass forming machine 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

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

• 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.
• Blow moulding: The three main techniques to create hollow plastic and glass parts, namely extrusion blow molding, injection blow molding and injection stretch blow molding.

These skills are necessary for the role of glass forming machine operator.

• Optimise production processes parameters: Optimise and maintain the parameters of the production process such as flow, temperature or pressure.
• Tend glass forming machines: Tend automatic glass forming machines by setting them up and operating them in order to press, blow, or spin gobs of molten glass in moulds having end-products such as bottles, containers or cathode ray tubes.
• Adjust feeder tubes: Use wrenches to install and adjust the tubes that carry the gob to the moulds.
• Observe products’ behaviour: Observe the color of fires and pyrometric cones under certain processing conditions such as high temperature.
• Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
• Inspect glass sheet: Inspect the drawn sheets of glass in order to detect any flows such as blisters or stones, signalling the defective glass sheets.
• 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.
• 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.
• Observe glass under heat: Observe the characteristics of the glass already set into the kiln so that cracking, warping or blistering is avoided.
• 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 component.
• Clean moulds: Clean the mould using water, grease or oil, washing and scraping them by hand.
• 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.
• Measure materials: Measure the raw materials prior to their loading in the mixer or in machines, ensuring they conform with the specifications.

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

• 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.
• 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.

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

• Construct moulds: Construct moulds for the casting of objects in plaster, clay, glass, plastic or metal. Use casting machines and materials such as rubber, plaster or fibreglass.
• Tend kiln for glass painting: Tend kilns which are used to affix paint on glass. They may tend gas or electric kilns.
• Adjust burner controls: Adjust the heat in the burner regulating the thermostat according to the prescribed temperature following each product specification.
• 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.
• Tend coating machine: Tend manufacturing machines designed to coat workpiece surfaces by applying various coating machine processes, such as powder coating, monitor and operate it according to regulations.
• Tend lehr: Operate the temperature-controlled kiln used in annealing, the process of gradually cooling hot glass to avoid any internal stress.
• Remove defective products: Remove defective materials from the production line.
• Perform product testing: Test processed workpieces or products for basic faults.
• Monitor environmental parameters: Check the impact of manufacturing machinery on the environment, analysing temperature levels, water quality and air pollution.
• Maintain equipment: Regularly inspect and perform all required activities to maintain the equipment in functional order prior or after its use.
• Monitor conveyor belt: Monitor the flow of the work pieces on the conveyor belt as they are processed by the machine to ensure optimal productivity.
• 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.
• Maintain mould parts: Carry out minor repair tasks and maintenance of moulds and mould parts.
• Operate drying blowers: Operate the portable air and heat blowers by placing them in the drying aisles in order to dry specific products.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Form bed for glass: Form a bed for glass on the metal trays by spreading plasters of paris using rollers or pallete knifes.
• Monitor end-product drying process: Let the end-products to cool and dry during the correct amount of time. If necessary, hasten the drying process using kilns or delay it by allowing water to humidify the products.

8181 – Glass and ceramics plant operators

---

References

1. Glass forming machine operator – ESCO
2. Glass Forming Machine Operators and glass Cutters | Gouvernement du Québec