Plastics Extruder Operator - 3rd Shift

Pratt Industries; Macungie (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Pratt Industries is seeking a Plastics Extrusion Machine Operator in the Lehigh Valley area to safely operate extrusion machinery, set up lines, load resins, and monitor output for quality and efficiency.

You will adjust melt temperatures, bubble height, and cooling, troubleshoot issues, maintain housekeeping, and train others while following GMPs and safety policies in a fast-paced production setting. Certification for lift truck operation may be required.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• Packaging industry experience preferred (paper, plastics, converting).
• At least 1 year experience on cast-film extrusion machines.
• Experience with Production Software (Vorne, etc.).
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment with changing jobs.

Responsibilities

• Work safely at all times and comply with Pratt Industries safety rules and GMPs.
• Set up extrusion lines producing bubble-wrap film from resin.
• Load resin, additives, and blends into hoppers; verify material types and ratios.
• Monitor the machine and output; adjust melt temperatures, pressures, bubble height, and cooling.
• Identify and correct machine issues; report higher level concerns to Supervisor/Manager.
• Complete upkeep: die cleaning, screen changes, and filter changes.
• Maintain housekeeping and clean work areas.
• Learn and comply with Pratt quality procedures; stop bad quality from leaving the facility.
• Train and assist other extrusion Machine Operators with duties.
• Complete reports: Production Data, Machine Status, Safety Data, Quality Data.
• Adhere to production schedule; report scheduling issues to Supervisor.
• Overtime as necessary; 24x7 operation.

Skills

Safety compliance

Extrusion machine operation

Quality control

Troubleshooting

Training others

Education

High school diploma or GED

1 year experience cast-film extrusion

Packaging industry experience

Tools

Production Software (Vorne)

Job description

Summary

Responsible for all activities associated with safely operating Plastics Extrusion Machinery including but not limited to setup, operation, cleanup, and recommendation of improvements to meet customer demand.

Summary

Responsible for all activities associated with safely operating Plastics Extrusion Machinery including but not limited to setup, operation, cleanup, and recommendation of improvements to meet customer demand.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Work safely at all times, be aware of surrounding and understand and comply with Pratt Industries Safety rules and GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices).
• Setup extrusion lines producing bubble-wrap film from resin.
• Load resin, additives, and blends into hoppers; verify correct material types and ratios.
• Complete or assist with roll changes on the machine as needed throughout the shift.
• Constantly monitor the machine and its output; adjust as needed. This included, but is not limited to:
  • Melt temperatures and pressures
  • Bubble height and inflation
  • Bubble uniformity
  • Cooling systems
• Quickly identify and correct machine issues including bubble breaks, wrinkles, jams, poor clarity and die lines. Any higher level mechanical concerns should be reported to the Production Supervisor, Production Manager or Plant Maintenance Tech or Manager through the use of Maintenance work orders.
• Complete/be proactive in necessary upkeep of machine – die cleaning, screen changes, and filter changes.
• Housekeeping and cleaning of work areas – keep clean and free of tripping hazards during shift and end of shift cleaning of the area.
• Learn and comply with Pratt Industries quality procedures and policies. Stop bad quality from leaving the facility to the Customer.
• Learn and understand capability and capacity of machine and drive efficiencies limiting waste and downtime. Do not sacrifice quality for machine speeds – must have both excellent quality and high efficiencies with minimal downtime.
• Train and assist other extrusion Machine Operators with job duties on the machine, downtime, setup times and quality.
• Complete necessary reports in an accurate and timely manner, including but not limited to: Production Data, Machine Operational Status, Safety Data, Quality Data.
• Comply with all company policies and procedures, including safety and good housekeeping.
• Adhere to production schedule. Make recommendations for optimizing the schedule to meet cost, quality and service goals. Report any unusual scheduling issues to Supervisor.
• Must be able to work overtime as necessary, sometimes on short notice. We serve our customers 24x7 – 365 days a year and sometimes work on holidays not avoidable.
• Additional duties may be assigned by management.

EDUCATION And/or EXPERIENCE

• High school diploma or GED.
• Candidates are PREFERRED who offer the following:
  • Prior work experience in the packaging industry; paper, plastics, converting
  • 1 year experience working on cast-film extrusion machines.
  • Experience with Production Software (Vorne, etc.)
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with flexibility. Product/Jobs will change frequently throughout a shift, must be able/willing to work through these changes efficiently.

Language Skills

Able to read and follow instructions; quality, safety, job packets

Mathematical Skills

Able to read a tape measure with speed and accuracy. Able to calculate figures and amounts such as percentages, measurement, volume and rate. Able to use/work with metric system.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or graphic form. Ability to deal with problems and come up with real-time solutions to the issues.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Will be required to be certified for and maintain a Pratt Lift Truck Operator License.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally push/pull product with the assistance of tools/machinery up to 130 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts, some of which can become extremely hot. The employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.