Profession planer thicknesser operator

Planer thicknesser operators use machinery to shave wood planks to a uniform thickness. The machine usually planes both sides of the plank in one operation. They feed the plank into the machine carefully to prevent excess planing at the edge known as 'snipe'.

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.

• Woodworking processes

  Steps in the processing of wood for the manufacturing of wooden articles and types of machines used for these processes such as drying, shaping, assembling and surface finishing.

• Cutting technologies

  The variety of cutting technologies, such as software or mechanics, guiding cutting processes through lasering, sawing, milling etc.

Skills

• 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.

• Remove processed workpiece

  Remove individual workpieces after processing, from the manufacturing machine or the machine tool. In case of a conveyor belt this involves quick, continuous movement.

• Dispose of cutting waste material

  Dispose of possibly hazardous waste material created in the cutting process, such as swarf, scrap and slugs, sort according to regulations, and clean up workplace.

• Wear appropriate protective gear

  Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.

• Troubleshoot

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

• Manipulate wood

  Manipulate the properties, shape and size of wood.

• Operate thickness planer machine

  Feed wood materials into the thickness planer, after which a surfaced board is retrieved. Avoid 'sniping' by using an additional piece of wood with the same thickness.

• Ensure equipment availability

  Ensure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.

• 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.

• Ensure conformity to specifications

  Ensure that the assembled products are conform to the specifications given.

• Remove inadequate workpieces

  Evaluate which deficient processed workpieces do not meet the set-up standard and should be removed and sort the waste according to regulations.

• Adjust planer

  Use handwheels to adjust table levels and pressure bars of the thickness planer according to the required cut and thickness of the stock.

• 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.

• Work safely with machines

  Check and safely operate machines and equipment required for your work according to manuals and instructions.

• Maintain wood thickness

  Maintain wood thickness by surfacing and sizing woodstock.

• Adjust properties of cut

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

• Set up the cutter head

  Set up and install knives in the cutter head of the thickness planer.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB