Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend paper goods machines that perform a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, corrugating, banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, forming, or sealing paper or paperboard sheets into products.

Also Known As:

Corrugator Operator Cup Room Technician Folder Machine Operator Gluer Operator Paper Cutter Operator Paper Machine Backtender Paper Machine Operator Stitching Machine Operator

Wages

Hourly

Annual wages for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in United States

Job Outlook Below Average

New job opportunities are less likely in the future

United States 2033 Projected Employment

83,300

-13% Change From 2023

Explore Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders video

Tasks you might complete in a day.

Install attachments to machines for gluing, folding, printing, or cutting.
Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.
Place rolls of paper or cardboard on machine feed tracks, and thread paper through gluing, coating, and slitting rollers.
Measure, space, and set saw blades, cutters, and perforators, according to product specifications.
Lift tote boxes of finished cartons, and dump cartons into feed hoppers.
Start machines and move controls to regulate tension on pressure rolls, to synchronize speed of machine components, and to adjust temperatures of glue or paraffin.
Disassemble machines to maintain, repair, or replace broken or worn parts, using hand or power tools.
Monitor finished cartons as they drop from forming machines into rotating hoppers and into gravity feed chutes to prevent jamming.
Stamp products with information such as dates, using hand stamps or automatic stamping devices.
Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.
Remove finished cores, and stack or place them on conveyors for transfer to other work areas.
Remove finished cores, and stack or place them on conveyors for transfer to other work areas.
Fill glue and paraffin reservoirs, and position rollers to dispense glue onto paperboard.
Cut products to specified dimensions, using hand or power cutters.
Measure, space, and set saw blades, cutters, and perforators, according to product specifications.
Adjust guide assemblies, forming bars, and folding mechanisms according to specifications, using hand tools.
Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension.
Place rolls of paper or cardboard on machine feed tracks, and thread paper through gluing, coating, and slitting rollers.

Subject areas you may need to master.

Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Foreign Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

Strengths you may need in this role.

Systems Analysis - Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Coordination - Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Mathematics - Using math to solve problems.
Programming - Writing computer programs.
Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Equipment Maintenance - Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Judgment and Decision Making - Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Systems Evaluation - Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Monitoring - Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Learning Strategies - Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Science - Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Critical Thinking - Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Active Learning - Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Persuasion - Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Reading Comprehension - Reading work-related information.
Time Management - Managing your time and the time of other people.
Management of Personnel Resources - Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Troubleshooting - Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Quality Control Analysis - Testing how well a product or service works.
Management of Financial Resources - Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Negotiation - Bringing people together to solve differences.
Technology Design - Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Operation and Control - Using equipment or systems.
Social Perceptiveness - Understanding people's reactions.
Active Listening - Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Speaking - Talking to others.
Complex Problem Solving - Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Instructing - Teaching people how to do something.
Installation - Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Writing - Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Equipment Selection - Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Management of Material Resources - Managing equipment and materials.
Operations Analysis - Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Service Orientation - Looking for ways to help people.
Dynamic Flexibility - Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Trunk Strength - Using your lower back and stomach.
Originality - Creating new and original ideas.
Night Vision - Seeing at night or under low light.
Speed of Closure - Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Flexibility of Closure - Seeing hidden patterns.
Finger Dexterity - Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Deductive Reasoning - Using rules to solve problems.
Far Vision - Seeing details that are far away.
Speech Clarity - Speaking clearly.
Information Ordering - Ordering or arranging things.
Selective Attention - Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Inductive Reasoning - Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Time Sharing - Doing two or more things at the same time.
Perceptual Speed - Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Control Precision - Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Mathematical Reasoning - Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Extent Flexibility - Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Gross Body Equilibrium - Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Problem Sensitivity - Noticing when problems happen.
Fluency of Ideas - Coming up with lots of ideas.
Sound Localization - Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Number Facility - Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Manual Dexterity - Holding or moving items with your hands.
Speed of Limb Movement - Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Rate Control - Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Spatial Orientation - Knowing where things are around you.
Multilimb Coordination - Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Reaction Time - Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Arm-Hand Steadiness - Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Gross Body Coordination - Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Explosive Strength - Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Written Expression - Communicating by writing.
Dynamic Strength - Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Oral Comprehension - Listening and understanding what people say.
Peripheral Vision - Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Speech Recognition - Recognizing spoken words.
Hearing Sensitivity - Telling the difference between sounds.
Response Orientation - Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Stamina - Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Written Comprehension - Reading and understanding what is written.
Oral Expression - Communicating by speaking.
Depth Perception - Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Visual Color Discrimination - Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Auditory Attention - Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Visualization - Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Category Flexibility - Grouping things in different ways.
Near Vision - Seeing details up close.
Glare Sensitivity - Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Static Strength - Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Memorization - Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Wrist-Finger Speed - Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.