Printing Press Operators
Also called Press Operator, Pressman, Printer, or Printing Press Operator
What Printing Press Operators do
Printing Press Operators set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
Who tends to enjoy it
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Hands-on
People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.
Leading
People who like persuading, selling, starting things, and taking charge.
What you'd actually do
- Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.
- Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.
- Adjust ink fountain flow rates.
- Verify that paper and ink meet the specifications for a given job.
- Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.
- Feed paper through press cylinders and adjust feed and tension controls.
- Monitor automated press operation systems and respond to fault, error, or alert messages.
- Load presses with paper and make necessary adjustments, according to paper size.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Quality Control Analysis
- Operations Monitoring
- Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
What you'll need to know
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- Graphic and Printing Equipment Operator, General Production 41 colleges
- Graphic Communications, Other 11 colleges
- Printing Management 4 colleges
- Printing Press Operator 3 colleges
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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 51-5112.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.