Printing machine operators, also known as press operators, prepare, operate, and maintain printing presses. Duties of printing machine operators vary according to the type of press they operate. Traditional printing methods, such as offset lithography, gravure, flexography, and letterpress, use a plate or roller that carries the final image that is to be printed and copies the image to paper. In addition to the traditional printing processes, plateless or nonimpact processes are coming into general use. Plateless processes—including digital, electrostatic, and ink-jet printing—are used for copying, duplicating, and document and specialty printing. Plateless processes usually are done by quick printing shops and smaller in-house printing shops, but increasingly are being used by commercial printers for short-run or customized printing jobs.
Machine operators' jobs differ from one shop to another because of differences in the types and sizes of presses. Small commercial shops can be operated by one person and tend to have relatively small presses, which print only one or two colors at a time. Large newspaper, magazine, and book printers use giant "in-line web" presses that require a crew of several press operators and press assistants.
After working with prepress technicians to identify and resolve any potential problems with a job, printing machine operators prepare machines for printing. To prepare presses, operators install the printing plate with the images to be printed and adjust the pressure at which the machine prints. Then they ink the presses, load paper, and adjust the press to the paper size. Operators ensure that paper and ink meet specifications, and adjust the flow of ink to the inking rollers accordingly. They then feed paper through the press cylinders and adjust feed and tension controls. New digital technology, in contrast, is able to automate much of this work.
While printing presses are running, printing machine operators monitor their operation and keep the paper feeders well stocked. They make adjustments to manage ink distribution, speed, and temperature in the drying chamber, if the press has one. If paper tears or jams and the press stops, which can happen with some offset presses, operators quickly correct the problem to minimize downtime. Similarly, operators working with other high-speed presses constantly look for problems, and when necessary make quick corrections to avoid expensive losses of paper and ink. Throughout the run, operators must regularly pull sheets to check for any printing imperfections. Most printers have, or will soon have, presses with computers and sophisticated instruments to control press operations, making it possible to complete printing jobs in less time. With this equipment, printing machine operators set up, monitor, and adjust the printing process on a control panel or computer monitor, which allows them to control the press electronically.
In most shops, machine operators also perform preventive maintenance. They oil and clean the presses and make minor repairs.
Work environment. Operating a press can be physically and mentally demanding, and sometimes tedious. Printing machine operators are on their feet most of the time. Often, operators work under pressure to meet deadlines. Most printing presses are capable of high printing speeds, and adjustments must be made quickly to avoid waste. Pressrooms are noisy, and workers in certain areas wear ear protection. Working with press machinery can be hazardous, but the threat of accidents has decreased with newer computerized presses that allow operators to make most adjustments from a control panel.
Many printing machine operators, particularly those who work for newspapers, work weekends, nights, and holidays as many presses operate continually. They also may work overtime to meet deadlines. The average operator worked 40 hours per week in 2006.
| 1. | Inspect and examine printed products for print clarity, color accuracy, conformance to specifications, and external defects. |
| 2. | Push buttons, turn handles or move controls and levers to start and control printing machines. |
| 3. | Reposition printing plates, adjust pressure rolls, or otherwise adjust machines to improve print quality, using knobs, handwheels, or hand tools. |
| 4. | Set and adjust speed, temperature, ink flow, and positions and pressure tolerances of equipment. |
| 5. | Examine job orders to determine details such as quantities to be printed, production times, stock specifications, colors, and color sequences. |
| 6. | Select and install printing plates, rollers, feed guides, gauges, screens, stencils, type, dies, and cylinders in machines according to specifications, using hand tools. |
| 7. | Monitor feeding, printing, and racking processes of presses in order to maintain specified operating levels and to detect malfunctions; make any necessary adjustments. |
| 8. | Operate equipment at slow speed to ensure proper ink coverage, alignment, and registration. |
| 9. | Load, position, and adjust unprinted materials on holding fixtures or in equipment loading and feeding mechanisms. |
| 10. | Pour or spread paint, ink, color compounds, and other materials into reservoirs, troughs, hoppers, or color holders of printing units, making measurements and adjustments to control color and viscosity. |
| 11. | Repair, maintain, or adjust equipment. |
| 12. | Blend and test paint, inks, stains, and solvents according to types of material being printed and work order specifications. |
| 13. | Clean and lubricate printing machines and components, using oil, solvents, brushes, rags, and hoses. |
| 14. | Remove printed materials from presses, using handtrucks, electric lifts, or hoists, and transport them to drying, storage or finishing areas. |
| 15. | Input instructions in order to program automated machinery, using a computer keyboard. |
| 16. | Place printed items in ovens to dry or set ink. |
| 17. | Squeeze or spread ink on plates, pads, or rollers, using putty knives, brushes, or sponges. |
| 18. | Measure screens, and use measurements to center and align screens in proper positions and sequences on machines, using gauges and hand tools. |
| 19. | Monitor and control operation of auxiliary equipment used to assemble and finish products. |
| 20. | Correct misprinted materials, using materials such as ink eradicators or solvents. |
| 21. | Direct and monitor activities of workers feeding, inspecting, and tending printing machines and materials. |
| 22. | Pour ink into pans, and smooth paint onto stencils, using flat-bladed knives. |
| 23. | Prepare and treat lithographic plates with various chemicals to clean and preserve plates and fix images. |
| 24. | Coordinate printing activities with activities of workers who set up, clean, and feed machines. |
| 25. | Monitor stocks of materials such as paper, ink, and metal in order to maintain supplies during equipment operation. |
| 26. | Position knives at specified distances from edges of plastic material in order to trim excess material from edges. |
| 27. | Thin printing compounds, using specified thinners. |
| 28. | Maintain records of goods produced, supplies used, production costs, and machine maintenance and repair activities. |
| 29. | Attach cloth to take-up rollers, placing it in feeding position and threading it through equipment as necessary. |
| 30. | Requisition supplies, materials, and equipment, and receive stock when it arrives. |
| 31. | Pack and label cartons, boxes, or bins of finished products. |
| 32. | Provide assistance in the design and layout of forms and materials to be printed. |
| 33. | Place spools of thread or wire on holders, and thread through machines. |
| 34. | Apply glue or tape to holes in screens in order to repair leaks. |
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