Profession book-sewing machine operator

Book-sewing machine operators tend a machine that stitches paper together to form a volume. They check that signatures are inserted the right way and the machine does not jam.

Personality Type

• Realistic / Conventional

Knowledge

• Types of paper

  The different criteria used to determine differences in paper types such as coarseness and thickness, and the different fabrication methods and wood types from which the types of paper stem.

• 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.

Skills

• Stitch paper materials

  Place the book or the material to be stitched under the needle, set the presser foot to the thickness of the book, and turn setscrews to adjust the length of the stitch. Push the material under the presser foot, activating the needle to sew through the length of the paper. Afterwards cut the threads connecting the material, and stack the obtained products.

• Troubleshoot

  Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.

• 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.

• Operate paper stitching machine

  Handle stitcher operator to automatically gather, stitch and trim folded signatures or flat sheets of paper. These are subsequently formed into paperbound books, magazines, pamphlets, catalogues and booklets.

• Set up machine controls

  Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.

• 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.

• Adjust paper stitching machine

  Set and adjust several parts of the stitching machine such as pressure pumps, stitchers for specified length, and thickness of the stitch and trimmer knives to trim three sides of a publication to its required size.

• 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.

• Sew signatures

  Open signature and place it over the machine feed arm, releasing the signature. Stitch or fasten endpapers and linings to first and last signatures of books. This skill also includes applying glue to the binding edge of the book and the binding of books.

• Lift stacks of paper

  Raise and replenish heaps of sheets, pages, covers on the machine table to align edges and feed the machine input.

• Adjust properties of cut

  Adjust cut sizes and depths of cutting tools. Adjust heights of worktables and machine-arms.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB