Laminating machine operator
Also known as: laminating machine specialist, coter, coating machine specialist, papermaking laminate coating machine technician, paper making laminate coating machine operator, laminator operator
About this occupation
Laminating machine operators tend a machine that applies a plastic layer to paper to strenghten it and protect it from wetness and stains.
Essential skills and knowledge
- wear appropriate protective gear
- read job ticket instructions
- supply machine
- types of paper
- perform test run
- work safely with machines
- quality standards
- produce samples
- set up the controller of a machine
- monitor automated machines
- troubleshoot
- operate laminating machine
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators (O*NET 51-2051.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers.
- Spray chopped fiberglass, resins, and catalysts onto prepared molds or dies using pneumatic spray guns with chopper attachments.
- Mix catalysts into resins, and saturate cloth and mats with mixtures, using brushes.
- Check completed products for conformance to specifications and for defects by measuring with rulers or micrometers, by checking them visually, or by tapping them to detect bubbles or dead spots.
- Pat or press layers of saturated mat or cloth into place on molds, using brushes or hands, and smooth out wrinkles and air bubbles with hands or squeegees.
- Select precut fiberglass mats, cloth, and wood-bracing materials as required by projects being assembled.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Artistic
Top skills: Monitoring, Operations Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving
US median pay: US$46,880 a year (2025), 16,170 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementVery important (3.9)
- ChemistryO*NET: ChemistryImportant (3.3)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.2)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
- Tire Builders
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Furniture Finishers
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
- Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.