Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders

What the job really is

Operate or tend bonding machines that use adhesives to join items for further processing or to form a completed product. Processes include joining veneer sheets into plywood; gluing paper; or joining rubber and rubberized fabric parts, plastic, simulated leather, or other materials.

At a glance

• Sector: Production
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-9191
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Align and position materials being joined to ensure accurate application of adhesive or heat sealing.
• Adjust machine components according to specifications such as widths, lengths, and thickness of materials and amounts of glue, cement, or adhesive required.
• Monitor machine operations to detect malfunctions and report or resolve problems.
• Start machines, and turn valves or move controls to feed, admit, apply, or transfer materials and adhesives, and to adjust temperature, pressure, and time settings.
• Fill machines with glue, cement, or adhesives.
• Perform test production runs and make adjustments as necessary to ensure that completed products meet standards and specifications.
• Examine and measure completed materials or products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring devices such as tape measures, gauges, or calipers.
• Read work orders and communicate with coworkers to determine machine and equipment settings and adjustments and supply and product specifications.
• Remove and stack completed materials or products, and restock materials to be joined.
• Observe gauges, meters, and control panels to obtain information about equipment temperatures and pressures, or the speed of feeders or conveyors.
• Maintain production records such as quantities, dimensions, and thicknesses of materials processed.
• Remove jammed materials from machines and readjust components as necessary to resume normal operations.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, SAP software, Adhesive feeders, Adhesive melters, Adhesive meters, Adhesive pattern controllers, Adhesive pumps, Air compressors, Automatic glue spreaders

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Machine Feeders and Offbearers
• Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
• Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
• Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.