Printing Press Operators
Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
- Tasks
- 23 tasks17 core, 6 supplemental
- Family
- ProductionOne of its 114 occupations
- Code
- 51-5112.00SOC 2018: 51-5112
What the work is made of
17 core tasks and 6 supplemental, each quoted as published, with the survey it came from.
Core: central to the jobSupplemental: done by some, not all
- Task 1. Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.Core taskTask 19430Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 2. Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.Core taskTask 19423Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 3. Adjust ink fountain flow rates.Core taskTask 19417Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 4. Verify that paper and ink meet the specifications for a given job.Core taskTask 19431Rated by 62 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 5. Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.Core taskTask 19421Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 6. Feed paper through press cylinders and adjust feed and tension controls.Core taskTask 19424Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 7. Monitor automated press operation systems and respond to fault, error, or alert messages.Core taskTask 19427Rated by 62 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 8. Load presses with paper and make necessary adjustments, according to paper size.Core taskTask 19426Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 9. Secure printing plates to printing units and adjust tolerances.Core taskTask 19429Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 10. Clean ink fountains, plates, or printing unit cylinders when press runs are completed.Core taskTask 19419Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 11. Change press plates, blankets, or cylinders, as required.Core taskTask 19418Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 12. Obtain or mix inks and fill ink fountains.Core taskTask 19428Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 13. Input production job settings into workstation terminals that control automated printing systems.Core taskTask 19425Rated by 62 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 14. Clean or oil presses or make minor repairs, using hand tools.Core taskTask 19420Rated by 61 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 15. Maintain time or production records.Core taskTask 19435Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 16. Monitor inventory levels on a regular basis, ordering or requesting additional supplies, as necessary.Core taskTask 19437Rated by 62 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 17. Monitor environmental factors, such as humidity and temperature, that may impact equipment performance and make necessary adjustments.Core taskTask 19436Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 18. Download or scan files to be printed, using printing production software.Supplemental taskTask 19422Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 19. Adjust digital files to alter print elements, such as fonts, graphics, or color separations.Supplemental taskTask 19416Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 20. Direct or monitor work of press crews.Supplemental taskTask 19433Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 21. Download completed jobs to archive media so that questions can be answered or jobs replicated.Supplemental taskTask 19434Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 22. Control workflow scheduling or job tracking, using computer database software.Supplemental taskTask 19432Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
- Task 23. Set up or operate auxiliary equipment, such as cutting, folding, plate-making, drilling, or laminating machines.Supplemental taskTask 19438Rated by 63 people who do the job, August 2020
Where this comes from
Quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor, and credited. Nothing on this page is written by us.
How we copy and credit sources- Published byO*NET 29.0, U.S. Department of LaborEmployment and Training Administration
- ClassificationStandard Occupational Classification 2018, 51-5112
- LicenseCC BY 4.0Free to copy and reuse, with credit
- Changed by usNothing.
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