Extruder Operator (3rd Shift)

This is a temp-to-hire position

Summary: Tends one single or dual extrusion line. Responsible for monitoring extruder and line conditions, feeding raw material to extruder manually or with the aid of automatic equipment, monitoring and controlling the quality of the continuously extruded products, and satisfactorily packaging the finished products.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Sets extruder and production line up by assembling and bolting all essential tooling to extruder and by moving necessary equipment into the line according to information on the setup sheet and production sheet for a specific production run.
• Sets extruder heat controls per the setup sheet.
• Sees that correct raw materials are at extruder - Virgin, regrind (if used), and color concentrate (if used).
• Monitors heats and when they reach the correct temperature, loads extruder hopper with a proper mix of raw materials, and starts the extruder.
• After extrudate is strung up through the line, verifies and adjusts extruder heats and speed, water conditions, and any other conditions as described in the set-up sheet and/or production sheet.
• Further adjusts line speed, shape fixtures, heats, and water conditions as necessary to get the extrudate in specification and savable.
• Sets footage monitoring equipment to obtain the correct footage or length on the units to be run.
• Inspects and measures extrudate to verify conformance to specifications.
• Continuously monitors extruder conditions, line conditions, and extrudate quality (size, shape, finish, bow, and color).
• Moves extruder controls and line fixtures to adjust line conditions as necessary for quality control.
• Spools and/or packages finished product properly per instructions on sheets.
• Labels packaging properly per instructions on sheets.
• Keeps all scrap and raw material labeled properly.
• Assembles packaging (spools, boxes, etc.) for own line and other lines as time allows.
• Stops extruder at the end of the run and disassembles and cleans the plastic from some or all of the extruder and die parts.
• Tends machines and equipment other than extruder lines at times.

• Must be at least 18 years old
• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) required
• Previous manufacturing experience a plus