Rotary Die Cutter Assistant Operator

ND Paper•Middletown Township, PA

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The 1st Assistant Operator on the Rotary Die Cutter (RDC) supports the Operator with machine setup, die changeover, quality inspection, and outfeed management. The RDC generally operates with a two-person crew, so the 1st Assistant participates actively throughout the production cycle. The role requires mechanical awareness, dimensional quality competency, and the ability to work efficiently at production speed with limited direct instruction. The 1st Assistant is expected to develop toward full Operator capability. The assistant helps change and register rotary dies, configures the stripping and outfeed sections, performs first-article and in-process quality checks, monitors stripping and print registration, feeds sheets as needed, and records downtime events. The assistant also maintains housekeeping and may operate the machine independently for short periods when authorized by a Supervisor and working within demonstrated competency. The position is based on the plant site, on the Converting Floor. Physical requirements include frequent lifting, carrying, and positioning of rotary dies, standing at machine height for an 8–12-hour shift, and repetitive bending, reaching, and manual stacking. Team lifts are required for dies above 50 lbs. Required PPE includes steel-toed boots, safety glasses, cut-resistant gloves when handling dies, and hearing protection in designated areas. The advancement path is to RDC Operator. Advancement requires demonstrated ability to set up a job independently from job ticket through first-article approval, manage in-process quality without direction, and lead a crew, with Supervisor sign-off and documented competency verification.

Requirements

Minimum 6–12 months of experience in a manufacturing equipment setting.
Ability to read a job ticket and translate die layout, blank size, score placement, and bundle count into machine setup parameters.
Familiarity with corrugated quality standards, including cut sharpness, nicking tolerance, score depth, blank squareness, and acceptable dimensional variance.
Mechanical aptitude and comfort working around rotating equipment, tooling, and mechanical adjustments under Operator direction.
Physical ability to handle rotary dies weighing 50–150 lbs. depending on size; team-lift protocols are required for large dies.
Frequent lifting, carrying, and positioning of rotary dies; team lift required above 50 lbs.
Ability to stand and work at machine height for a full shift of 8–12 hours.
Ability to perform repetitive bending, reaching, and manual stacking at outfeed throughout the shift.
Use required PPE: steel-toed boots, safety glasses, cut-resistant gloves when handling dies, and hearing protection in designated areas.

Nice To Haves

Direct rotary die cutter (RDC) experience is strongly preferred.
Bilingual English/Spanish is preferred.
Bilingual Mandarin is a plus.

Responsibilities

Assist the Operator with die changeover, including removing the outgoing die, cleaning the anvil and cutting cylinder, mounting the incoming rotary die, and verifying die registration and anvil clearance against job specifications.
Set up and verify the stripping section by configuring stripping fingers, hold-down shoes, and waste removal chutes for the incoming blank geometry.
Manage the outfeed and stacking section, including setting stacker, shingling, and bundle ejection parameters and verifying bundle integrity and count accuracy against the job ticket.
Perform first-article dimensional checks at job startup, including measuring cut dimensions and checking die-cut clarity, nick placement, score depth, crease quality, and blank squareness.
Conduct in-process quality pulls at defined intervals, document results on the job quality log, and promptly alert the Operator to out-of-tolerance conditions.
Monitor stripping performance and identify and communicate strip failures, waste hang-ups, or skeleton jams before they cause downtime or damage.
Feed sheets into the infeed section as needed while maintaining registration and sheet flow consistent with machine speed.
Assist with print registration verification on RDCs equipped with print stations and alert the Operator to registration drift between quality checks.
Log all downtime events with reason code, duration, and corrective action; ensure events are coded by shift end.
Maintain a clean stripping section and outfeed area throughout the shift, continuously clearing skeleton waste and trim accumulation.
Operate the machine independently for short durations when authorized by a Supervisor and within demonstrated competency.
Participate in end-of-shift cleanup, die storage, and machine housekeeping routines.