Plastics Process Technician
Plastics process technicians develop and maintain the plastics production process, and analyse and fix any process problems.
Tasks & duties
Plastics process technicians may do some or all of the following:
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develop standard procedures for all areas of plastics production, such as start-up heats and pressures for the machines, and the number of products that should be produced per hour
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analyse why output of plastics products is higher or lower than the required rate
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liaise with suppliers of raw material
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minimise the scrap rate (the number of products in a production run that are below standard)
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ensure the process is efficient
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conduct trials on raw materials to determine the right mixture, heat and pressure needed to manufacture a plastic product to strength and colour specifications
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write reports, operating manuals and problem-solving flow-charts
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train staff in new processes and procedures
Skills & knowledge
Plastics process technicians need to have:
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knowledge of plastic materials and processes such as how they react to different heats and pressures of plastics machines
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knowledge of general science and mechanical engineering
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analytical skills, and the ability to think laterally and solve problems
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skill in diagnosing problems with plastics production
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writing skills
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communication skills
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basic computer skills
Entry requirements
To become a plastics process technician you need to have School Certificate or NCEA equivalent in English, maths and science.
Training on the job
Plastics process technicians can work towards the National Certificate in Plastics Processing Technology offered by the Plastics and Materials Industry Training Organisation (PaMPITO) through on-the-job training.
Useful experience
Useful experience for plastics process technicians includes working with machinery, mechanical engineering experience, or any work that involves production processes.
Related courses
Plastics Processing Technology
For more information, please refer to Career Services.
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