Description
Set up, operate, and tend paper cutting equipment—such as guillotine cutters, slitters, and sheeters—to cut sheets, signatures, and rolls to exact sizes and tolerances for printing, packaging, and converting operations.
- • Review job tickets, layouts, and specifications to determine cut sizes, sequences, and machine settings.
- • Set up and program back-gauge positions, clamp pressure, and cut sequences on paper cutters.
- • Select and install knives, cutting sticks, slitter heads, and guides according to specifications, using hand tools.
- • Start machines and perform test cuts; adjust alignment, squareness, and depth to meet tolerances.
- • Examine and measure paper stock and finished pieces using rulers, calipers, squares, or scales to verify specifications.
- • Feed and align paper stacks or webs onto tables, conveyors, or under blades using air tables and guides.
- • Position stock against back gauge and side guides along cutting lines.
- • Press two-hand controls, pedals, or buttons to clamp and cut material.
- • Adjust machine controls for position, speed, clamp pressure, and knife settings to optimize quality and throughput.
- • Monitor machine operation to detect jams, dull knives, or other malfunctions and replenish supplies as needed.
- • Remove defective or off-spec material; re-cut or correct settings to meet standards.
- • Remove cut pieces and scrap; strip trim, stack, count, band, wrap, and label for further processing or shipping.
- • Stack and sort cut material by job, size, and sequence for bindery or packaging.
- • Maintain production records of quantities, sizes, waste, setup times, and job identifiers.
- • Move paper stock, finished goods, and scrap using carts, lift tables, pallet jacks, or forklifts.
- • Clean and lubricate cutters, air tables, conveyors, and guards; keep work area free of dust and debris.
- • Change or replace knives and cutting sticks; send blades for sharpening as required.
- • Mark cut lines, grain direction, or identifying information on stock when needed.
- • Cut small jobs or samples manually using rotary trimmers, utility knives, or shears.
- • Troubleshoot and clear paper jams, sensor faults, and safety interlocks; escalate issues when necessary.
- • Follow safety procedures, including lockout/tagout during blade changes and use of guards and PPE.
- • Coordinate with pressroom and bindery teams to prioritize jobs and minimize waste.
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Advanced Manufacturing
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
