Slitter Operator

“Slice ’em up” is the Slitter Operator’s job in the process of manufacturing items that come on a roll. Aluminum foil, cash register printer paper, and shrink wrap all start out on enormous rolls until the Slitter Operator chops them down to convenient sizes with a slitter machine.

As a Slitter Operator, you start your shift by reading the work order for all the items that need cutting. Each company specializes in a particular type of manufacturing, whether it’s rolls of paper for printing, or items such as shrink wrap for the food and beverage industry.

Once you know what you’re making, you adjust the slitter to fit the rolls and make its cuts in the right places. Then you load the roll into the machine. Imagine rolls of aluminum foil from the grocery store, only long enough for a giant to use.

After hoisting the massive roll of material into the slitter, you turn the machine on and monitor its progress. Even a high-quality machine can stick occasionally and start chopping away at the wrong spot. When the machine is finished, the roll is in smaller sections ready for packing up and shipping out to businesses and retail stores.

In addition to understanding how to set up and troubleshoot the slitter, you need basic mathematical skills to calculate the most efficient way to cut a roll. If the ends of the roll are always cut too short to use, that’s wasted money for your employer, and you work to prevent that.