Career summary

Details for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders


Description

Operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.

Tasks

  • Study work orders or shoe part tags to obtain information about workloads, specifications, and the types of materials to be used.
  • Remove and examine shoes, shoe parts, and designs to verify conformance to specifications such as proper embedding of stitches in channels.
  • Perform routine equipment maintenance such as cleaning and lubricating machines or replacing broken needles.
  • Cut excess thread or material from shoe parts, using scissors or knives.
  • Turn screws to regulate size of staples.
  • Align parts to be stitched, following seams, edges, or markings, before positioning them under needles.
  • Turn setscrews on needle bars, and position required numbers of needles in stitching machines.
  • Switch on machines, lower pressure feet or rollers to secure parts, and start machine stitching, using hand, foot, or knee controls.
  • Collect shoe parts from conveyer belts or racks and place them in machinery such as ovens or on molds for dressing, returning them to conveyers or racks to send them to the next work station.
  • Position dies on material in a manner that will obtain the maximum number of parts from each portion of material.
  • Test machinery to ensure proper functioning before beginning production.
  • Operate or tend machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
  • Draw thread through machine guide slots, needles, and presser feet in preparation for stitching, or load rolls of wire through machine axles.
  • Fill shuttle spools with thread from a machine's bobbin winder by pressing a foot treadle.
  • Load hot-melt plastic rod glue through reactivator axles, using wrenches, and switch on reactivators, setting temperature and timers to heat glue to specifications.
  • Staple sides of shoes, pressing a foot treadle to position and hold each shoe under the feeder of the machine.
  • Select and place spools of thread or pre-wound bobbins into shuttles, or onto spindles or loupers of stitching machines.
  • Hammer loose staples for proper attachment.
  • Turn knobs to adjust stitch length and thread tension.

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.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
  • Training - 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.
  • Experience - Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Knowledge

  • 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.

Skills

None found.

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