Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Overview
SaveJob 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 to mix or blend materials, such as chemicals, tobacco, liquids, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $60K |
| Median: | $38K |
| Low: | $26K |
Demand
Core Tasks
- Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products to ensure conformance to requirements.
- Observe production or monitor equipment to ensure safe and efficient operation.
- Read work orders to determine production specifications or information.
- Mix or blend ingredients by starting machines and mixing for specified times.
- Compound or process ingredients or dyes, according to formulas.
- Examine materials, ingredients, or products visually or with hands to ensure conformance to established standards.
- Stop mixing or blending machines when specified product qualities are obtained and open valves and start pumps to transfer mixtures.
- Dump or pour specified amounts of materials into machinery or equipment.
- Operate or tend machines to mix or blend any of a wide variety of materials, such as spices, dough batter, tobacco, fruit juices, chemicals, livestock feed, food products, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.
- Record operational or production data on specified forms.
- Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory testing.
- Unload mixtures into containers or onto conveyors for further processing.
- Clean work areas.
- Test samples of materials or products to ensure compliance with specifications, using test equipment.
- Add or mix chemicals or ingredients for processing, using hand tools or other devices.
- Tend accessory equipment, such as pumps or conveyors, to move materials or ingredients through production processes.
- Transfer materials, supplies, or products between work areas, using moving equipment or hand tools.
- Clean and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
- Open valves to drain slurry from mixers into storage tanks.
- Dislodge and clear jammed materials or other items from machinery or equipment, using hand tools.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Production and Processing
87%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
English Language
60%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Mechanical
55%
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Public Safety and Security
54%
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.
Chemistry
53%
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Mathematics
53%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Education and Training
48%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Administration and Management
45%
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.
Law and Government
42%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Personnel and Human Resources
41%
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Top 10 Skills
Operation and Control
73%
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operations Monitoring
73%
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Critical Thinking
63%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Equipment Maintenance
63%
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Monitoring
63%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Quality Control Analysis
63%
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Reading Comprehension
63%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Repairing
63%
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Time Management
63%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Troubleshooting
63%
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Top 10 Abilities
Near Vision
68%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Arm-Hand Steadiness
65%
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Manual Dexterity
65%
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Category Flexibility
63%
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Control Precision
63%
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Far Vision
63%
The ability to see details at a distance.
Information Ordering
63%
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).
Multilimb Coordination
63%
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.
Oral Comprehension
63%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Perceptual Speed
63%
The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Top 10 Work Activities
Getting Information
89%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Controlling Machines and Processes
87%
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Performing General Physical Activities
85%
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.
Handling and Moving Objects
83%
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
83%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
82%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
80%
Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
Documenting/Recording Information
78%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Training and Teaching Others
75%
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
73%
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Detailed Work Activities
- Measure ingredients or substances to be used in production processes.
- Weigh finished products.
- Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
- Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
- Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
- Operate mixing equipment.
- Operate pumping systems or equipment.
- Mix substances to create chemical solutions.
- Test chemical or physical characteristics of materials or products.
- Operate cooking, baking, or other food preparation equipment.
- Load materials into production equipment.
- Record operational or production data.
- Collect samples of materials or products for testing.
- Clean work areas.
- Clean facilities or work areas.
- Move products, materials, or equipment between work areas.
- Clean production equipment.
- Maintain production or processing equipment.
- Clear equipment jams.
- Adjust equipment controls to regulate flow of production materials or products.
Education
Interests
Realistic
93%
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
61%
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.
Investigative
31%
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
18%
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.
Enterprising
17%
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.
Social
15%
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
72%
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
48%
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.
Independence
43%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
41%
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
29%
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.
Recognition
29%
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.