Career & application guide

Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders

Get to know the work, the skills that matter, and how to prepare your next application.

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What do adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders do?

Operate or tend bonding machines that use adhesives to join items for further processing or to form a completed product. Processes include joining veneer sheets into plywood; gluing paper; or joining rubber and rubberized fabric parts, plastic, simulated leather, or other materials.

This describes a U.S. occupation, not a live vacancy. Individual employers may use different titles and requirements.

Job titles to recognize in your search

O*NET reports these titles for this occupation. Compare the responsibilities in each posting before treating titles as equivalent.

  • Coater Operator
  • Glue Line Operator
  • Glue Reel Operator
  • Gluer Machine Operator
  • Gluing Pressman
  • Machine Operator
  • Perfect Bind Machine Operator
  • Sealer Operator

Core tasks to compare with a job posting

  • Align and position materials being joined to ensure accurate application of adhesive or heat sealing.
  • Adjust machine components according to specifications such as widths, lengths, and thickness of materials and amounts of glue, cement, or adhesive required.
  • Monitor machine operations to detect malfunctions and report or resolve problems.
  • Start machines, and turn valves or move controls to feed, admit, apply, or transfer materials and adhesives, and to adjust temperature, pressure, and time settings.
  • Fill machines with glue, cement, or adhesives.
  • Perform test production runs and make adjustments as necessary to ensure that completed products meet standards and specifications.
  • Examine and measure completed materials or products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring devices such as tape measures, gauges, or calipers.
  • Read work orders and communicate with coworkers to determine machine and equipment settings and adjustments and supply and product specifications.
  • Remove and stack completed materials or products, and restock materials to be joined.
  • Observe gauges, meters, and control panels to obtain information about equipment temperatures and pressures, or the speed of feeders or conveyors.

Prepare an application for this occupation

  1. Check the employer’s requirements, location, schedule and any licenses against your situation.
  2. Choose two or three tasks above that match the posting and your actual experience.
  3. Build a resume evidence worksheet using the skills and software relevant to that employer.
  4. Practice explaining your contribution, decisions and results before an interview.

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