Plastic resins

The process of heating hydrocarbons, forming and combining polymers to create plastic resins which are used to make different kinds of products.

polyethylene
synthetic resins
vinyl
plastic resin

knowledge

cross-sector

Plastic resins is an essential knowledge of the following occupations:

Plastic heat treatment equipment operator: Plastic heat treatment equipment operators manipulate plastic products using machinery such as furnaces or flame-hardening machines in order to temper, anneal or heat-treat. They set up the machinery and read the production instructions to determine the furnace temperature. Plastic heat treatment equipment operators remove products from machines, let them cool down, examine and test products to see if they conform to specifications.
Blow moulding machine operator: Blow moulding machine operators operate and monitor blow moulding machine to mould plastic goods, according to requirements. They regulate temperature, air pressure and volume of plastic, according to specifications. Blow moulding machine operators remove finished products and cut away excess material, using a knife. They regrind surplus material and rejected workpieces for reuse, using a grinding machine.
Cake press operator: 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.

Plastic resins is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this knowledge may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.

Fiberglass laminator: Fiberglass laminators mould fiberglass materials to form hulls and boat decks. They read blueprints and use hand and power tools to cut the composite materials. They apply waxes and lacquers, and prepare surfaces for the placement of fiberglass mats. They use resin-saturated fiberglass to bond wood reinforcing strips to cabin structures and decks. They also prepare materials exposing those to the right temperature. They check finished products for defects and make sure they comply with the specifications.

Plastic and rubber products manufacturing supervisor: Plastic and rubber products manufacturing supervisors manage and coordinate the activities of personnel involved in plastic or rubber products manufacturing, making sure the production is efficiently, safely and cost-effectively processed. They are responsible for the installation of new production lines and for the provision of trainings.
Insulating tube winder: Insulating tube winders set up and operate a machine to wind up insulating tubes and cut them to specified dimensions.
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.
Filament winding operator: Filament winding operators tend, control and maintain machines that coat filament, usually fibreglass or carbon, in resin and wind them around a rotation mould to produce pipes, containers, tubes and other hollow cylindrical products.
Plastic rolling machine operator: Plastic rolling machine operators operate and monitor machines to produce plastic rolls, or to flatten and reduce the material. They examine raw materials and finished products to make sure they are according to specifications.
Pultrusion machine operator: Pultrusion Machine Operators tend, control, and maintain machines which enable the production of composite materials with consistent cross-sections by adding reinforcement fibres such as fibreglass to the existing material and coating the resulting material with resin; this then is pulled through a heated dye where it becomes cured.
Furniture finisher: Furniture finishers treat the surface of wood furniture using hand and power tools to sand, clean and polish. They apply wood coatings onto wooden surfaces by using different techniques such as brushing or using a spray gun. They choose and apply the right coatings with protective and/or decorative purposes.

References

1. Plastic resins – ESCO