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Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders

Also called Dye Machine Operator, Dye Operator, Dyer, or Machine Operator (Machine Op)

What Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders do

Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.

Who tends to enjoy it

Hands-on

People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.

Organizing

People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.

Curious

People who like figuring things out, research, science, and solving problems.

What you'd actually do

  • Weigh ingredients, such as dye, to be mixed together for use in textile processing.
  • Start and control machines and equipment to wash, bleach, dye, or otherwise process and finish fabric, yarn, thread, or other textile goods.
  • Observe display screens, control panels, equipment, and cloth entering or exiting processes to determine if equipment is operating correctly.
  • Notify supervisors or mechanics of equipment malfunctions.
  • Monitor factors such as temperatures and dye flow rates to ensure that they are within specified ranges.
  • Add dyes, water, detergents, or chemicals to tanks to dilute or strengthen solutions, according to established formulas and solution test results.
  • Examine and feel products to identify defects and variations from coloring and other processing standards.
  • Adjust equipment controls to maintain specified heat, tension, and speed.

A typical day involves

Standing Indoors without climate control Face-to-face with people Wearing safety gear Walking or running Part of a team

Skills that matter most

  • Operations Monitoring
  • Operation and Control
  • Active Listening
  • Monitoring
  • Time Management
  • Reading Comprehension

What you'll need to know

  • Production and Processing
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Education and Training
  • Administration and Management
  • Customer and Personal Service

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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 51-6061.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.