Reprographics technician

Reprographics technicians are responsible for the full or partial process of reproduction of graphical documents through mechanical-driven or digital means, such as photography, scanning or digital printing. These activities are commonly performed for purposes of maintaining archives or other structured catalogues.

The following job titles also refer to reprographics technician:

print room technician
print room operator
mailroom specialist
reprographic process specialist
reprography technician
reprographics operator
reprographics administrator
reprographics assistant
reprographic process technician
reprographics associate
reprography operator
reprography specialist
print room specialist
copy machine operator
mailroom technician
reprographics specialist

A high school diploma is generally required to work as a reprographics technician.

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.

Reprographics technician is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to reprographics technician.

scanning operator
digital printer
prepress operator
typesetter
imagesetter

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

print studio supervisor
pulp control operator
automated assembly line operator
3D printing technician
optical instrument production supervisor

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of reprographics technician.

• Reprography: The process of reproducing, reprinting, or copying graphic material especially by mechanical or electronic means such as photography or xerography.
• Binding technologies: The methods to fix paper materials together and enclose them in a cover such as case binding, sewing, adhesive binding, comb binding, and spiral binding.
• Printing materials: The materials, such as paper, film, metal foils, and glass, on which texts or designs can be transferred by applying ink through direct pressure or with intermediate rollers.
• 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.

These skills are necessary for the role of reprographics technician.

• Handle scanning material safely: Load and handle the material to be scanned safely and make sure that the scanning equipment is clean.
• Set colour profiles: Maintain consistent colour output in digital colour and inkjet printers by running calibration routines and making sure that the colour profiles for the printers are still accurate.
• Digitise documents: Load analog documents by converting them into a digital format, using specialised hardware and software.
• Reproduce documents: Reproduce documents such as reports, posters, booklets, brochures, and catalogues for a range of audiences.
• Follow safety precautions in printing: Apply safety and health principles, policies and institutional regulations of working in printing production. Protect oneself and others against such hazards as chemicals used in printing, invasive allergens, heat, and disease causing agents.
• Operate printing machinery: Operate machinery for various types of printed documents, adjusting the font, paper size, and weight. This allows ascenders and descenders to be correctly placed.
• 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.
• Produce scanned images: Produce scanned images that satisfy different categories and are free of potential defects.
• Operate digital printers: Handle inkjet and laser printers, allowing the operator to print documents in a single ‘pass’. Download or print the digital files to the digital printing machine using the correct machine and print download settings so that the correct fonts and substrates are used and the output meets the specifications and required quality standards.
• Operate scanner: Set up and operate scanner equipment and its hard- and software.
• Use Microsoft Office: Possess the ability to work with the standard programs contained in Microsoft Office at a capable level. Create a document and do basic formatting, insert page breaks, create headers or footers, and insert graphics, create automatically generated tables of contents and merge form letters from a database of addresses (usually in Excel). Create auto-calculating spreadsheets, create images, and sort and filter data tables.
• Scan photos: Scan images into computers for editing, storage, and electronic transmission.

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

• Printing techniques: The techniques and processes to reproduce text and images using a master form or template such as letterpress printing, gravure, and laser printing.
• Prepress processes: The processes that occur between the creation of a print layout and the final printing, such as copyediting, proofing, proofreading and others.
• Maintenance of printing machines: Upkeep procedures and technical working of machines that produce printed graphical material.
• Copyright legislation: Legislation describing the protection of the rights of original authors over their work, and how others can use it.

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

• Respect data protection principles: Ensure that access to personal or institutional data conforms to the legal and ethical framework governing such access.
• Communicate with customers: Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.
• Operate binder machine: Set up the binder machine, which forms, inserts, trims, and fastens binding in covers of paper goods like booklets, pamphlets, and notebooks.
• Order supplies: Command products from relevant suppliers to get convenient and profitable products to purchase.
• Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
• Follow a brief: Interpret and meet requirements and expectations, as discussed and agreed upon with the customers.
• Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
• Monitor stock level: Evaluate how much stock is used and determine what should be ordered.
• Manage offset printing process: Select and oversee implementation of relevant printing processes, necessary tools, and colours.
• 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.
• Meet deadlines: Ensure operative processes are finished at a previously agreed-upon time.
• Perform image editing: Edit various types of images such as analogue and digital photographs or illustrations.
• Inspect printing output: Verify that the printing output is satisfactory using various methods such as visual verification, use of spectrophotometers or densitometers. The problems that might occur include misregisters or colour variation.
• Lay out digital written content: Lay out pages by selecting sizes, styles and entering text and graphics into computer systems.
• 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.
• Unbind books: Use machines or manual techniques to remove the covering holding paper pages together in order to replace it, repair it or to scan its contents.

7322 – Printers

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References

1. Reprographics technician – ESCO