Description
Set up and operate slicing machines to cut materials to specified thickness and dimensions. Monitor runs, adjust settings to meet quality and safety standards, and perform basic maintenance, documentation, and material handling.
- • Review work orders, specifications, or samples to determine blade type, thickness, speed, and feed settings.
- • Set up and operate automatic or semi-automatic slicing machines for materials such as food, rubber, paper, or insulation.
- • Start machines and run test slices to verify setup; adjust as needed.
- • Load and align stock on tables, conveyors, or guides; set stops or cutting guides.
- • Feed or thread material into slicers and monitor flow.
- • Adjust controls to change slice thickness, speed, pressure, alignment, or temperature.
- • Monitor gauges, sensors, and product flow to detect jams, dull blades, or malfunctions.
- • Measure and weigh slices to verify thickness and dimensions using rulers, calipers, micrometers, or scales.
- • Remove defective product and correct settings or clear jams to meet quality standards.
- • Replace or change blades, knives, or cutter heads; perform basic sharpening when required.
- • Select and install components such as blades, spacers, rollers, and templates using hand tools.
- • Clean and lubricate slicers, blades, and conveyors following safe work practices.
- • Maintain production and quality records, including counts, dimensions, lot numbers, and downtime.
- • Stack, sort, and package sliced materials by size, type, or order; stage for next operations or shipping.
- • Remove finished product from machines and place on racks, trays, or carts.
- • Move raw material, work-in-process, and scrap using carts, hand trucks, or forklifts as authorized.
- • Mark stock or product with part numbers, slice lines, or order identification.
- • Calibrate thickness gauges or stops and verify blade spacing using gauges or feeler gauges.
- • Tighten belts or adjust tensioners; add coolants or lubricants to maintain slicing performance.
- • Follow safety procedures and PPE requirements; keep the work area clean and hazard-free.
- • Communicate issues and coordinate with maintenance or supervisors to minimize downtime.
- • Enter slice parameters via HMI or controls and select or load machine recipes.
- • Verify machine guarding and emergency stops before operation.
- • Perform product changeovers, including sanitation and tool changes as required.
- • Assist in training helpers or new operators on standard operating procedures.
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Related Pathways
Advanced Manufacturing
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Source
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
