Description
Set up, operate, and tend trimming machines to cut edges and size materials such as paper, film, rubber, food, glass, or insulating products to meet specifications.
- • Examine, measure, and weigh materials or finished pieces to verify trim dimensions and quality using rulers, calipers, or scales.
- • Stack, bundle, and sort trimmed items for packaging, further processing, or shipment by type and size.
- • Set up, operate, and tend guillotines, rotary trimmers, slitters, or slicing machines to remove excess material and size products.
- • Review work orders, blueprints, specifications, or samples to determine trim widths, offsets, and machine settings.
- • Enter job parameters or select programs; set guides, fences, clamps, and knives as required.
- • Remove defective material and adjust guides, speeds, or blade positions to meet standards.
- • Start, stop, and cycle trimming machines using buttons, levers, pedals, or touchscreens.
- • Adjust machine controls to change position, alignment, speed, pressure, or tension.
- • Maintain production logs of quantities, waste, trim widths, and dimensions produced.
- • Monitor machine operation, material flow, and sensors to detect malfunctions or low supplies.
- • Run test pieces to verify setups and make necessary adjustments.
- • Remove finished pieces from machines and stage them for the next operation.
- • Select, install, and align blades, rollers, anvils, and templates per specifications using hand tools.
- • Move stock, scrap, and waste trim to and from machines using carts, hand trucks, or forklifts.
- • Clean, clear jams, and lubricate trimmers, conveyors, blades, and guards per preventive maintenance schedules.
- • Feed stock into machines, onto conveyors, or under blades by threading, guiding, or using handwheels.
- • Align and position stock to trim lines, stops, or registration marks.
- • Change or replace blades, cutter heads, and grinding wheels; verify blade sharpness and balance.
- • Mark trim lines or identification on stock using pencils, markers, or scribes.
- • Manually trim or deburr pieces as needed using knives, shears, or hand tools to meet final dimensions.
- • Sharpen or send out blades and knives; maintain blade inventories.
- • Follow safety procedures and lockout/tagout requirements; keep work area clean.
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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
