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Career Details : Letterpress Setters and Set-Up Operators

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Description

Set up or set up and operate direct relief letterpresses, either sheet or roll (web) fed, to produce single or multicolor printed material, such as newspapers, books, and periodicals.

Experience

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Education

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Training

Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

Tasks

  • Pushes buttons or moves controls to start printing press and control operation.
  • Operates specially-equipped presses and auxiliary equipment, such as cutting, folding, numbering, and pasting devices.
  • Reads work orders and job specifications to select ink and paper stock.
  • Mixes colors or inks and fills reservoirs.
  • Positions and installs printing plates, cylinder packing, die, and type forms in press, according to specifications, using hand tools.
  • Monitors feeding and printing operations to maintain specified operating levels and detect malfunctions.
  • Moves controls to set or adjust ink flow, tension rollers, paper guides, and feed controls.
  • Loads, positions, and adjusts unprinted materials on holding fixtures or in feeding mechanism of press.
  • Dismantles and reassembles printing unit or parts, using hand tools, to repair, clean, maintain, or adjust press.
  • Inspects printed materials for irregularities such as off-level areas, variations in ink volume, register slippage, and poor color register.
  • Directs and monitors activities of apprentices and feeding or stacking workers.
  • Record and maintain production logsheet.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Indoors
    • Using Hands on Objects, Tools, Controls
    • Degree of Automation
    • Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
    • Consequence of Error

    Related Majors

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    Graphic Communications Technologyadd Graphic Communications Technology to MyFSA
    Graphics Technologyadd Graphics Technology to MyFSA
    Printingadd Printing to MyFSA
    Printing Managementadd Printing Management to MyFSA
    Printing Productionadd Printing Production to MyFSA
    Printing Technologyadd Printing Technology to MyFSA
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