A professional who tends compression-molding machines that mold thermosetting plastics into products, such as automobile heater housings, ashtrays, buttons, electronic parts, plastic panels, and dishes. Respnsibilities include:

• Dumps specified amount of plastic powders or pellets into hopper of machine, or positions pellets or sausage-shaped plastics in mold installed on machine.
• Starts machine that compresses plastic into mold under heat and pressure, and allows plastic to set for specified time.
• Removes product from mold and cleans mold, hopper, and bed of machine, using airhose and handtools.
• May place plastics material on hot grid or in oven to soften it prior to molding.
• May weigh prescribed amount of material for molding.
• May place plastic sheet into machine fixture to fabricate buttons.