Printing Press Operators
Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
Also Known As:
Digital Press Operator
Flexographic Press Operator
Offset Press Operator
Offset Pressman
Press Operator
Pressman
Printer
Printing Press Operator
Printing Pressman
Web Press Operator
Wages
Annual wages for Printing Press Operators in United States
Job Outlook
Below Average
New job opportunities are less likely in the future
United States
2033 Projected Employment
141,300
-10% Change From 2023
Explore Printing Press Operators video
Tasks you might complete in a day.
- Download completed jobs to archive media so that questions can be answered or jobs replicated.
- Monitor automated press operation systems and respond to fault, error, or alert messages.
- Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.
- Clean ink fountains, plates, or printing unit cylinders when press runs are completed.
- Adjust digital files to alter print elements, such as fonts, graphics, or color separations.
- Obtain or mix inks and fill ink fountains.
- Monitor inventory levels on a regular basis, ordering or requesting additional supplies, as necessary.
- Load presses with paper and make necessary adjustments, according to paper size.
- Input production job settings into workstation terminals that control automated printing systems.
- Monitor environmental factors, such as humidity and temperature, that may impact equipment performance and make necessary adjustments.
- Change press plates, blankets, or cylinders, as required.
- Direct or monitor work of press crews.
- Clean or oil presses or make minor repairs, using hand tools.
- Feed paper through press cylinders and adjust feed and tension controls.
- Control workflow scheduling or job tracking, using computer database software.
- Obtain or mix inks and fill ink fountains.
- Set up or operate auxiliary equipment, such as cutting, folding, plate-making, drilling, or laminating machines.
- Verify that paper and ink meet the specifications for a given job.
- Secure printing plates to printing units and adjust tolerances.
- Clean or oil presses or make minor repairs, using hand tools.
- Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.
- Adjust ink fountain flow rates.
- Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.
- Download or scan files to be printed, using printing production software.
- Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.
- Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.
- Maintain time or production records.
- Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.
- Monitor inventory levels on a regular basis, ordering or requesting additional supplies, as necessary.
- Monitor environmental factors, such as humidity and temperature, that may impact equipment performance and make necessary adjustments.
Subject areas you may need to master.
- 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.
- 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.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- 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.
- Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
- Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
- 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.
- Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
- 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.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
- 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.
- Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
- Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
- 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.
- Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- 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.
- Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications 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.
- Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- 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.
- 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.
- History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
- 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.
- Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Strengths you may need in this role.
- Monitoring - Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
- Operations Analysis - Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
- Systems Evaluation - Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
- Management of Financial Resources - Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
- Management of Personnel Resources - Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
- Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
- Troubleshooting - Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
- Active Learning - Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
- Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
- Writing - Writing things for co-workers or customers.
- Technology Design - Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
- Operation and Control - Using equipment or systems.
- Time Management - Managing your time and the time of other people.
- Equipment Maintenance - Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
- Science - Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
- Negotiation - Bringing people together to solve differences.
- Programming - Writing computer programs.
- Learning Strategies - Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
- Reading Comprehension - Reading work-related information.
- Quality Control Analysis - Testing how well a product or service works.
- Speaking - Talking to others.
- Equipment Selection - Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
- Service Orientation - Looking for ways to help people.
- Mathematics - Using math to solve problems.
- Critical Thinking - Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
- Instructing - Teaching people how to do something.
- Social Perceptiveness - Understanding people's reactions.
- Active Listening - Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Systems Analysis - Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
- Management of Material Resources - Managing equipment and materials.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
- Coordination - Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
- Persuasion - Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
- Installation - Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
- Complex Problem Solving - Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
- Rate Control - Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
- Gross Body Equilibrium - Keeping your balance or staying upright.
- Speed of Limb Movement - Quickly moving your arms and legs.
- Dynamic Strength - Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
- Reaction Time - Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
- Gross Body Coordination - Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
- Problem Sensitivity - Noticing when problems happen.
- Mathematical Reasoning - Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
- Speech Clarity - Speaking clearly.
- Information Ordering - Ordering or arranging things.
- Speed of Closure - Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
- Category Flexibility - Grouping things in different ways.
- Spatial Orientation - Knowing where things are around you.
- Arm-Hand Steadiness - Keeping your arm or hand steady.
- Number Facility - Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
- Flexibility of Closure - Seeing hidden patterns.
- Depth Perception - Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
- Inductive Reasoning - Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
- Finger Dexterity - Putting together small parts with your fingers.
- Multilimb Coordination - Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
- Extent Flexibility - Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
- Near Vision - Seeing details up close.
- Selective Attention - Paying attention to something without being distracted.
- Speech Recognition - Recognizing spoken words.
- Trunk Strength - Using your lower back and stomach.
- Stamina - Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
- Wrist-Finger Speed - Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
- Explosive Strength - Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
- Far Vision - Seeing details that are far away.
- Oral Comprehension - Listening and understanding what people say.
- Oral Expression - Communicating by speaking.
- Deductive Reasoning - Using rules to solve problems.
- Manual Dexterity - Holding or moving items with your hands.
- Visualization - Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
- Auditory Attention - Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
- Written Expression - Communicating by writing.
- Peripheral Vision - Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
- Response Orientation - Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
- Static Strength - Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
- Visual Color Discrimination - Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
- Dynamic Flexibility - Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
- Written Comprehension - Reading and understanding what is written.
- Time Sharing - Doing two or more things at the same time.
- Night Vision - Seeing at night or under low light.
- Fluency of Ideas - Coming up with lots of ideas.
- Originality - Creating new and original ideas.
- Sound Localization - Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
- Memorization - Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
- Perceptual Speed - Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
- Glare Sensitivity - Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
- Control Precision - Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
- Hearing Sensitivity - Telling the difference between sounds.
Average Education Attained
Highest level of education earned by people in this career.
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Content sourced from United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration ("DOLETA") and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development ("DEED")