Coating Equipment Operator

Wilsonart International•Temple, TX

About The Position

The Coating Equipment Operator operates sheet-fed coating and UV curing equipment to produce products that meet defined quality standards. The role includes safe equipment operation, required process and quality checks, and prompt escalation of issues. This is a grade 3 position on the day shift. The operator sets up and runs coating equipment, prepares coating chemistry, monitors sheets through coating and curing, and controls coat weight using authorized process settings. The role also includes documenting in-process quality checks, inspecting and cleaning equipment, preventing contamination, addressing defects, performing routine operator maintenance, maintaining housekeeping, and following safety and waste-handling requirements.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Hands-on experience operating industrial equipment.
Ability to follow work instructions and record data accurately.
Strong attention to detail and demonstrated adherence to cleanliness and contamination-control standards.
Effective communication and teamwork skills, including the ability to escalate problems quickly and clearly.
Ability to perform heavy work involving continuous physical exertion, such as walking, pushing, climbing, and lifting material or equipment weighing more than 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Technical certificate or prior converting/coating experience.
Experience with roll-to-roll or sheet-fed roll coating.
Comfort with coat weight tracking and SPC-style checks where used.
Basic understanding of UV curing concepts, including dose, lamp power, and speed effects, and coating quality fundamentals.

Responsibilities

Set up, start, operate, and shut down roll coater and UV curing equipment according to SOP, including warm-up and stabilization of coat weight before production release.
Prepare coating chemistry according to instructions, including mixing or agitation, filtration, viscosity and temperature control, and container labeling and lot traceability.
Load sheets at the infeed and monitor their movement through coating and curing stations, maintaining alignment and minimizing jams or damage.
Control coat weight by adjusting authorized process settings and verifying results against targets.
Perform and document in-process quality checks, including coat weight, appearance, cure checks, and adhesion tests as defined.
Inspect rolls and coating-path components for cleanliness and damage at defined intervals, identifying buildup, nicks, embedded particles, lint, and improper roll contact.
Perform cleaning and changeover tasks to defined standards using approved materials, and prevent cross-contamination between products.
Maintain contamination controls during operation, including covered containers, minimized open time, lint-free handling materials, controlled wipe and solvent use, and infeed/outfeed housekeeping.
Identify coating and curing defects, take first-response corrective actions, and escalate issues to the Lead as needed.
Perform routine operator maintenance, including cleaning, checklist lubrication, filter changes, and inspection of guards and interlocks.
Submit maintenance requests for abnormalities such as roll surface damage, vibration, bearing noise, or inconsistent nip pressure.
Maintain housekeeping and 5S around the line, segregate scrap, and handle waste according to environmental and safety requirements.
Follow safety requirements for machine guarding, pinch points, UV exposure controls, chemical PPE, and LOTO support during maintenance.