Occupation Details
Printing Press Operators
Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$33,580.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$47,680.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$56,990.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
8,000
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
8,020
+2 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
856
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.0%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Some Training - Certificate or hands-on training
Experience Requirements
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education Requirements
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Apprenticeship
Contact your regional representative to learn more about apprenticeships available in your area by visiting Apprenticeship Contacts.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Chemistry
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Acoustic ear muffs or defenders
- Adjustable wrenches
- Air knives
- Allen wrenches
- Back joggers
- Ball peen hammers
- Chain hoists
- Claw hammers
- Collating equipment
- Color separation scanners
- Conductivity indicators
- Cutting equipment
- Densitometers
- Desktop computers
- Digital cameras
- Digital copiers
- Digital letterpresses
- Digital printing presses
- Drift punches
- Drum scanners
- Ear plugs
- Electric lifts
- Flat-bed imagesetters
- Flexographic presses
- Folding equipment
- Gravure presses
- Grease guns
- Hand trucks
- Handheld magnifiers
- Hoists
Technology
- AABACH Graphic Systems DIGRA
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Systems Adobe LifeCycle Production Print ES3
- Adobe Systems Adobe PageMaker
- Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
- Electronics for Imaging EFI Pace
- Email software
- Enfocus PitStop Pro
- Image editing software
- Inventory tracking software
- Job scheduling software
- Job tracking software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- collect payment
- maintain production or work records
- attach or mark identification onto products or containers
- determine film exposure settings
- use desktop publishing software
- direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
- proofread printed or written material
- assure quality control in printing processes
- move or fit heavy objects
- load, unload, or stack containers, materials, or products
- distinguish colors
- identify color or balance
- understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
- set page layout or composition
- restore photographs
- retouch negatives or prints
- determine specifications
- measure, weigh, or count products or materials
- maintain consistent production quality
- perform safety inspections in manufacturing or industrial setting
- examine products or work to verify conformance to specifications
- demonstrate or explain assembly or use of equipment
- adjust production equipment/machinery setup
- set up production equipment or machinery
- maintain or repair industrial or related equipment/machinery
- clean equipment or machinery
- install equipment or attachments on machinery or related structures
- monitor production machinery/equipment operation to detect problems
- collate printed materials
- develop film or other photographic medium
- mix printing solutions
- mix paint, ingredients, or chemicals, according to specifications
- process photographic prints
- fabricate, assemble, or disassemble manufactured products by hand
- arrange galley setups of type
- set type in compositional sequence
- strip negatives
- load or unload material or workpiece into machinery
- read specifications
- read production layouts
- receive customer orders
- read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
- make independent judgment in assembly procedures
- fabricate printing plates
- operate printing equipment/machinery
- operate cameras
- operate fabric printing equipment
- use precision measuring tools or equipment
- operate scanner
- use densitometer
- use color analyzer
- use hand or power tools
- operate graphic reproduction equipment
- operate bindery equipment
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- 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.
- Load presses with paper and make necessary adjustments, according to paper size.
- Monitor automated press operation systems and respond to fault, error, or alert messages.
- Secure printing plates to printing units and adjust tolerances.
- Download or scan files to be printed, using printing production software.
- Clean ink fountains, plates, or printing unit cylinders when press runs are completed.
- Change press plates, blankets, or cylinders, as required.
- Obtain or mix inks and fill ink fountains.
- Adjust digital files to alter print elements, such as fonts, graphics, or color separations.
- Input production job settings into workstation terminals that control automated printing systems.
- Clean or oil presses or make minor repairs, using hand tools.
- Direct or monitor work of press crews.
- Download completed jobs to archive media so that questions can be answered or jobs replicated.
- Maintain time or production records.
- Control workflow scheduling or job tracking, using computer database software.
- Monitor inventory levels on a regular basis, ordering or requesting additional supplies, as necessary.
- Monitor environmental factors, such as humidity and temperature, that may impact equipment performance and make necessary adjustments.
- Set up or operate auxiliary equipment, such as cutting, folding, plate-making, drilling, or laminating machines.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Printing machine operators
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
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