Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Overview

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Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Experience

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Education

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Job Training

Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Examples

These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.

Set up, operate, or tend machines that cut textiles.

Yearly Salary

High: $41K
Median: $29K
Low: $21K

Demand

Career Demand by State Career Demand by State Legend

Core Tasks

  • Thread yarn, thread, or fabric through guides, needles, and rollers of machines.
  • Adjust cutting techniques to types of fabrics and styles of garments.
  • Inspect products to ensure that the quality standards and specifications are met.
  • Operate machines to cut multiple layers of fabric into parts for articles such as canvas goods, house furnishings, garments, hats, or stuffed toys.
  • Place patterns on top of layers of fabric and cut fabric following patterns, using electric or manual knives, cutters, or computer numerically controlled cutting devices.
  • Program electronic equipment.
  • Start machines, monitor operations, and make adjustments as needed.
  • Study guides, samples, charts, and specification sheets or confer with supervisors or engineering staff to determine set-up requirements.
  • Stop machines when specified amounts of product have been produced.
  • Adjust machine controls, such as heating mechanisms, tensions, or speeds, to produce specified products.
  • Notify supervisors of mechanical malfunctions.
  • Record information about work completed and machine settings.
  • Inspect machinery to determine whether repairs are needed.
  • Confer with coworkers to obtain information about orders, processes, or problems.
  • Operate machines for test runs to verify adjustments and to obtain product samples.
  • Install, level, and align components, such as gears, chains, guides, dies, cutters, or needles, to set up machinery for operation.
  • Repair or replace worn or defective parts or components, using hand tools.
  • Clean, oil, and lubricate machines, using air hoses, cleaning solutions, rags, oilcans, and grease guns.

Technology Skills

Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Computer aided design CAD software
Autodesk AutoCAD
Electronic mail software
Microsoft Outlook
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
SAP software
Industrial control software
HAISEN SoftWare System
Office suite software
Microsoft Office software
Operating system software
Microsoft Windows
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Word processing software
Microsoft Word

Tools Used

Tool
Example
Hand tools
Lubricant guns
Material handling machinery and equipment
Wheeled forkllifts
Measuring and observing and testing instruments
Precision rulers
Metal cutting machinery and accessories
Laser cutting machines
Raw materials processing machinery
Drill presses
Textile and fabric machinery and accessories
Die cutting presses

Top 10 Knowledge Required

Production and Processing
66%
Importance

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Mathematics
58%
Importance

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Mechanical
57%
Importance

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

English Language
52%
Importance

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Design
49%
Importance

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Administration and Management
45%
Importance

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Education and Training
45%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Computers and Electronics
42%
Importance

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Engineering and Technology
41%
Importance

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Public Safety and Security
41%
Importance

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Top 10 Skills

Operations Monitoring
75%
Importance

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Operation and Control
68%
Importance

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Monitoring
63%
Importance

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Quality Control Analysis
63%
Importance

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Active Listening
60%
Importance

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Coordination
60%
Importance

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Equipment Maintenance
60%
Importance

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Repairing
60%
Importance

Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Speaking
60%
Importance

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Troubleshooting
60%
Importance

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Top 10 Abilities

Arm-Hand Steadiness
73%
Importance

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Information Ordering
65%
Importance

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Manual Dexterity
65%
Importance

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Auditory Attention
63%
Importance

The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.

Control Precision
63%
Importance

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Finger Dexterity
63%
Importance

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Multilimb Coordination
63%
Importance

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

Near Vision
63%
Importance

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Problem Sensitivity
63%
Importance

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

Reaction Time
63%
Importance

The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.

Top 10 Work Activities

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
83%
Importance

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Controlling Machines and Processes
79%
Importance

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Getting Information
79%
Importance

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
79%
Importance

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
77%
Importance

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
76%
Importance

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Handling and Moving Objects
74%
Importance

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
72%
Importance

Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Performing General Physical Activities
72%
Importance

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems
71%
Importance

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Inspect products or operations to ensure that standards are met.
  • Inspect work to ensure standards are met.
  • Inspect textile products.
  • Cut fabrics.
  • Position patterns on equipment, materials, or workpieces.
  • Operate textile cutting or production equipment.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Notify others of equipment repair or maintenance needs.
  • Inspect production equipment.
  • Exchange information with colleagues.
  • Replace worn equipment components.
  • Repair production equipment or tools.
  • Clean production equipment.
  • Lubricate production equipment.
  • Feed materials or products into or through equipment.
  • Set equipment controls to meet cutting specifications.
  • Program equipment to perform production tasks.
  • Study blueprints or other instructions to determine equipment setup requirements.
  • Conduct test runs of production equipment.
  • Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
  • Install mechanical components in production equipment.

Education

Interests

Realistic
91%
Importance

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Conventional
65%
Importance

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Enterprising
24%
Importance

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Investigative
23%
Importance

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Artistic
22%
Importance

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Social
18%
Importance

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Work Values

Support
62%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Relationships
53%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Working Conditions
36%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Achievement
34%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Independence
34%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Recognition
29%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.