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Printing Press Operators

It's a bright outlook for

This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Learn more about what they do.

Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.

Related: Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators & Tenders Cutting, Punching, & Press Machine Setters, Operators, & Tenders, Metal & Plastic Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, & Tenders Photographic Process Workers & Processing Machine Operators Prepress Technicians & Workers

Industries: Manufacturing

Summary
Details

Change press plates, blankets, or cylinders, as required.
Feed paper through press cylinders and adjust feed and tension controls.
Monitor automated press operation systems and respond to fault, error, or alert messages.
Clean or oil presses or make minor repairs, using hand tools.
Obtain or mix inks and fill ink fountains.
Secure printing plates to printing units and adjust tolerances.
Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.
Download completed jobs to archive media so that questions can be answered or jobs replicated.
Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.
Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.
Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.
Direct or monitor work of press crews.
Input production job settings into workstation terminals that control automated printing systems.
Set up or operate auxiliary equipment, such as cutting, folding, plate-making, drilling, or laminating machines.
Monitor inventory levels on a regular basis, ordering or requesting additional supplies, as necessary.
Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.
Clean ink fountains, plates, or printing unit cylinders when press runs are completed.
Maintain time or production records.
Adjust ink fountain flow rates.
Verify that paper and ink meet the specifications for a given job.
Load presses with paper and make necessary adjustments, according to paper size.
Download or scan files to be printed, using printing production software.
Clean or oil presses or make minor repairs, using hand tools.
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.
Adjust digital files to alter print elements, such as fonts, graphics, or color separations.
Control workflow scheduling or job tracking, using computer database software.
Obtain or mix inks and fill ink fountains.
Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.
Monitor environmental factors, such as humidity and temperature, that may impact equipment performance and make necessary adjustments.

Management of Financial Resources
- Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
Management of Personnel Resources
- Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Mathematics
- Using math to solve problems.
Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Quality Control Analysis
- Testing how well a product or service works.
Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Programming
- Writing computer programs.
Persuasion
- Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Management of Material Resources
- Managing equipment and materials.
Equipment Maintenance
- Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Instructing
- Teaching people how to do something.
Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
Negotiation
- Bringing people together to solve differences.
Science
- Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.
Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Learning Strategies
- Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
Technology Design
- Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Operations Analysis
- Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Troubleshooting
- Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Systems Analysis
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Equipment Selection
- Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Operation and Control
- Using equipment or systems.
Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Speaking
- Talking to others.
Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

Inductive Reasoning
- Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Stamina
- Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Visualization
- Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Depth Perception
- Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Hearing Sensitivity
- Telling the difference between sounds.
Sound Localization
- Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Gross Body Equilibrium
- Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Multilimb Coordination
- Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Speed of Closure
- Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Manual Dexterity
- Holding or moving items with your hands.
Reaction Time
- Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Wrist-Finger Speed
- Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Problem Sensitivity
- Noticing when problems happen.
Oral Expression
- Communicating by speaking.
Finger Dexterity
- Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Written Expression
- Communicating by writing.
Selective Attention
- Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Mathematical Reasoning
- Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Auditory Attention
- Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Explosive Strength
- Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Spatial Orientation
- Knowing where things are around you.
Extent Flexibility
- Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Memorization
- Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Flexibility of Closure
- Seeing hidden patterns.
Perceptual Speed
- Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Glare Sensitivity
- Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Trunk Strength
- Using your lower back and stomach.
Control Precision
- Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Dynamic Flexibility
- Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Oral Comprehension
- Listening and understanding what people say.
Originality
- Creating new and original ideas.
Number Facility
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Written Comprehension
- Reading and understanding what is written.
Static Strength
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Response Orientation
- Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Speech Clarity
- Speaking clearly.
Peripheral Vision
- Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Deductive Reasoning
- Using rules to solve problems.
Near Vision
- Seeing details up close.
Night Vision
- Seeing at night or under low light.
Fluency of Ideas
- Coming up with lots of ideas.
Information Ordering
- Ordering or arranging things.
Category Flexibility
- Grouping things in different ways.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Rate Control
- Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Speed of Limb Movement
- Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Time Sharing
- Doing two or more things at the same time.
Speech Recognition
- Recognizing spoken words.
Visual Color Discrimination
- Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Far Vision
- Seeing details that are far away.
Dynamic Strength
- Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Gross Body Coordination
- Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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.
Fine Arts
- Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Geography
- Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Medicine and Dentistry
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Therapy and Counseling
- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Engineering and Technology
- Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Foreign Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Building and Construction
- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Biology
- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
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.
Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Food Production
- Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Administrative
- Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Physics
- Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
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.
Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
History and Archeology
- Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Telecommunications
- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Transportation
- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Economics and Accounting
- Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

1 to 12 months on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

Washington Annual Salary

49230/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

23.67/hr

Currently Employed

2,730

Yearly Projected Openings

280

Conventional: People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines. They do well at jobs that need:

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Independence
Integrity
Stress Tolerance
Cooperation

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Claw hammer
Conductivity meters
Dating or numbering machines
Densitometers
Desktop computers
Digital cameras
Document camera
Ear plugs
Flexographic printer
Grease guns
Hand trucks or accessories
Height gauges
Hex keys
High capacity removable media drives
Hoists
Industrial shrink wrap equipment
Laminators
Laser printers
Letter folders
Letterpress equipment
Levels
Lifts
Locking pliers
Magnifiers
Micrometers
Notebook computers
Offset printing plate processors
Offset printing presses
Pad printer
Pallet trucks
Paper cutting machines or accessories
Paper drilling machines
Paper jogging machines
Perforating machines
Personal computers
Photocopiers
Photogravure printing machines
Platemakers
Printing assemblers
Printing collators or decollators
Printing cutters
Printing guillotines
Printing presses
Punches or nail sets or drifts
Putty knives
Ratchets
Rulers
Safety glasses
Scanners
Screwdrivers
Silk screen printing machines
Silk screen vacuum printing frames
Spectrophotometers
Stackers
Stapler units
Tape measures
Thermal book binding machines
Wrapping machinery
pH meters

Calendar and scheduling software
Cloud-based data access and sharing software
Data base user interface and query software
Desktop publishing software
Document management software
Electronic mail software
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Financial analysis software
Graphics or photo imaging software
Industrial control software
Inventory management software
Office suite software
Project management software
Spreadsheet software
Word processing software

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