Profession glass forming machine operator
Glass forming machine operators operate and maintain machines that press or blow molten glass in moulds to form or shape products, such as neons, bottles, jars and drinking glasses. They set up and adjust machines, and weigh, measure and check production samples to check conformity to the set specifications.
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Personality Type
- Realistic / Conventional
Knowledge
- 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.
- Blow moulding
The three main techniques to create hollow plastic and glass parts, namely extrusion blow molding, injection blow molding and injection stretch blow molding.
Skills
- Optimise production processes parameters
Optimise and maintain the parameters of the production process such as flow, temperature or pressure.
- Measure materials
Measure the raw materials prior to their loading in the mixer or in machines, ensuring they conform with the specifications.
- Observe products' behaviour
Observe the color of fires and pyrometric cones under certain processing conditions such as high temperature.
- Wear appropriate protective gear
Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
- Conform to health and safety regulations
Carry out all work in accordance with relevant environmental and health and safety legislation, risk assessment requirements and company policies. Take the necessary health and safety precautions during work including posture the body well, safely operate tools and machinery, and wear the right clothes and protection for the climate.
- Troubleshoot
Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
- Adjust feeder tubes
Use wrenches to install and adjust the tubes that carry the gob to the moulds.
- Prevent casting adhesion
Prevent the casting sticking to the moulds by brushing the mould with oil, hot wax or graphite solution, according to the specification of each casting components.
- Set up the controller of a machine
Set up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.
- Tend glass forming machines
Tend automatic glass forming machines by setting them up and operating them in order to press, blow, or spin gobs of molten glass in moulds having end-products such as bottles, containers or cathode ray tubes.
- Perform test run
Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.
- Clean moulds
Clean the mould using water, grease or oil, washing and scraping them by hand.
- Observe glass under heat
Observe the characteristics of the glass already set into the kiln so that cracking, warping or blistering is avoided.
- 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.
- 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.
- Inspect glass sheet
Inspect the drawn sheets of glass in order to detect any flows such as blisters or stones, signalling the defective glass sheets.
Optional knowledge and skills
perform product testing tend lehr operate drying blowers tend kiln for glass painting consult technical resources record production data for quality control adjust burner controls remove defective products construct moulds maintain equipment form moulding mixture inspect quality of products monitor end-product drying process check quality of raw materials tend coating machine form bed for glass coating substances monitor conveyor belt mechanics manage waste maintain mould parts monitor environmental parametersCommon job titles
- Machine operator assistant (2nd shift)
- Case packer operator
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