CREELER

The creeler changes style of yarn or replaces used or empty yarn packages by placing new yarn packages on spindle of creel, according to instructions, coded spools, or number on yarn packages. Then threads yarn through yarn guides or ties yarn ends to ends of yarn from preceding package to maintain continuous yarn supply. Cuts yarn ends from knots, using scissors, and discards yarn ends in waste container to prevent entanglement of yarn while moving through creel. Removes old yarn from machines before changing to different size or type of yarn. Cleans dust and lint from creel. Replace yarn packages or spools when faulty yarn appears. Assist warper operator in tying yarn back when yarn breaks. Sorts yarn packages into sets of specified numbers to be placed on creel of warper. Cross-trained operators will relieve warper operators as needed. 

Position requires good hand dexterity, good vision ability to read and follow instructions. Must be able to handle scissors and tie knots. Must be able to communicate with warper operators. Physical requirements include walking/standing, reaching, climbing, crouching/kneeling, bending/stooping and lifting 1-20 pounds. Safety requirements include no loose fitting clothes and long hair pulled back and tied back when filling in as warper operator.

DYEHOUSE OPERATOR  

Beam Dyeing 

Tends open vat beam dyeing machine. Wraps fabric that is wound on perforated beams and loads into machine, using hoist.

Samples both the chemical bath for pH levels and the fabric to test color during the dyeing cycle. May add chemicals during dyeing cycle as specified. Monitors entire dyeing cycle and removes beam with hoist at the end of cycle. Cuts cloth patches to check shade.

Position requires good vision and ability to read and comprehend numbers and schedules. Must be able to communicate with dye house control operators. Mechanical skills involved include hoist operation and the use of an air wrench. Physical requirements include walking/standing and reaching in an environment with extreme heat, dampness, noise, and chemicals. Steel toe safety shoes required. Hearing protection is required.

Jet Dyeing 

Tends jet dye machine that dyes cloth under pressure: Sews ends of cloth together to form endless rope of cloth, using portable sewing machine. Presses button to activate suction device that draws cloth over machine reel into compartments. Presses button to start automatic washing, dyeing, and rinsing cycles. Visually inspects machine for faulty machine operation. Takes samples of dye bath to test for pH, salt levels, etc., and cuts samples of cloth to test color. Monitors entire dyeing cycle and starts reel to pull cloth from machine at end of processing cycle. Transport as necessary to next process.

Position requires good vision and ability to read and comprehend numbers and schedules. Must be able to communicate with dye house control operators. Technical skills needed include use of sewing machine, salometer and pH meter. Physical requirements include walking/standing, reaching, climbing steps, lifting up to 50 pounds and pushing 600-1000 pound buggies in an environment with extreme heat, dampness, noise, and chemicals. Steel toe safety shoes required. Hearing protection is required.

Extractor 

Loads fabric into extractor using mechanical loading device. Operates extractor controls to start extraction of moisture from fabric. Removes fabric at completion of cycle by threading fabric on to rack which pulls fabric out of extractor and into buggies.

Position requires good vision, ability to count and ability to recognize numbers and match them to a schedule. Must be able to communicate with other operators and CRT operators. Mechanical skills include operating a sewing machine and fork lift/pallet jack. Physical requirements include walking/standing, reaching, climbing, pushing 600-1000 pound buggies in an environment with extreme heat, dampness, noise, and chemicals. Steel toe safety shoes required. Hearing protection is required.

FINISHING OPERATOR 

Operates tenter frame that stretches cloth in width, removes wrinkles, and dries cloth after padding process that adds dye or finishing chemicals. Must be able to set-up beam. Trucks beamed cloth to entry-end of machine and mounts roll of cloth at scray, using hoist. Sews cloth end to leader in machine, using sewing machine. Adjusts clips or pins to stretch cloth to specified width. Turns valves to admit dye or chemical to padder from mixing tank. Sets thermostats to control temperature of hot air in drying cabinet. Monitors control panel, and moves levers or dials to control width of cloth and speed of cloth through drying cabinet. Sets up exit end correctly before running, checking for shell size and trimmers. Measures width of cloth emerging from machine, using tape measure. Records yardage clock readings. Visually inspects cloth during process for wrinkles, cracks, streaks, color, and other defects. Stops process when defects are detected. Doffs finished roll by use of floor jack. May be required to operate forklift. Associates working on the frame communicate with each other via a PA system.

Position requires good near vision and ability to read and write and to comprehend instructions, gauges, dials, etc. Must be able to communicate with other operators on the frame. Mechanical skills involved include hoist operation, floor jacks and dollies. Physical requirements include walking/standing the entire shift, some climbing, lifting and carrying 8-12 pounds, reaching, bending and pushing 100-1,100 pound rolls a short distance in an environment with extreme heat, dampness, noise, and chemicals. Steel toe safety shoes required. Hearing protection is required.

INSPECTOR 

Inspects finished cloth for knitting, dyeing or finishing defects, using power-driven examining frame. Grades finished fabric and prepare rolls for shipping per customer requirements. Starts process by pulling fabric over rollers, down over inspection board, under catwalk and wraps cloth end around takeup tube. Sets yardage clock at zero and presses button or pedal that starts movement of cloth over inspection board. Scans cloth for defects, such as grease spots, slubs, picks, uneven selvages, and irregularities in color. Marks defects with adhesive sticker or swift tack. Enters information such as defects, cloth style, and yardage inspected in computer. May correct reparable defects, such as soils, slubs, or loose ends, using steel pick, scissors, knife, or cleaning solution. May cut irreparable defects from cloth, using scissors, and sew cloth ends together, using sewing machine. May mount rolls of cloth, using floor jack. May grade cloth according to quality, using written standards. May cut swatch from end of cloth for sample. May count number of picks per inch, using pick counter. May feel cloth to compare texture with that of sample. When reexamining cloth to verify defects marked by other workers, is designated Rechecker. Uses computer to print labels for rolls and affixes them to each roll before pushing on to conveyor.

Position requires good color vision for checking shades, ability to read and write, be able to recognize defects and make grading decisions. Mechanical skills involved include operation of inspection frame, electric scissors, hand scissors, swift tack gun and computer key board. Must view video display screen. Physical requirements include walking/standing the entire shift, reaching, bending and use of 50 pounds of force to push rolls on to conveyor.

PACKER 

Performs a variety of functions in the inspection operation. May bring rolls of fabric to the inspection frames to either set on jacks or to be set in place on the back of the frames. When working on the conveyor line, a packer may place rolls of fabric into plastic bags and seal and add roll numbers to the covered rolls. At the end of the conveyor line, covered rolls are scanned and placed in shipping cases and strapped or may be placed on a pallet, accumulated and strapped. May tally number of units of product packaged or record information, such as size, weight, and type of products packaged. Strapped lots are then moved by forklift to the warehouse for storage, staging or shipping. May replenish packaging supplies, such as plastic sheet, boxes, cartons, pallets, dividers or labels.

Position requires agility, good vision and ability to comprehend customer requirements. Mechanical skills involved include the use of scissors, automatic and manual strapping machines, conveyors, forklifts/hand trucks and hand scanner and a video display terminal. Physical requirements include standing, moving, reaching and lifting up to 75 pounds.

SHAFTER / WARP HANGER 

A shafter / warp hanger is responsible for assembling warp beam sets by selecting and mounting beams on large steel shaft and applying spacers and collars. Also, responsible for loading completed beam seta onto machines and removing the rolls of knitted fabric from the lower part of the knitting machines.

Completed rolls of fabric are pushed to a weighing station where the rolls are weighed and the necessary paperwork is filled out for further processing. Established written procedures are used to identify rolls and disposition. Warp hangers are also responsible for the removal and replacement of yarn sets into warp knitting machines. Follows established procedures for the removal and replacements of yarn sets by a punch card system. When a yarn set is ready to be removed slings are placed around the beams, caps on the end are removed and an overhead hoist is used to remove the old warp. The empty warp is placed on a buggy and the collars removed. The new warp is checked to make sure all beams are lined up properly and collars are bolted in place. Warp is picked-up by a hoist, transported and positioned directly over the knitting machine. Warp is then positioned, lowered and hung in the machine and end caps are tightened. The hoist slings are removed and the brown paper covering the beams is removed. The damage sheet is signed, punched and placed in the threader's box on the board.

Buggy with old warp is moved to yarn removing area to remove any remaining yarn from the used beams with a heated knife. Beams are removed from shaft and a hand truck is used to transfer empty beams to the yarn warehouse for return to the yarn manufacturer or to the Warping Department to be reused. Partial sets of yarn are returned to work-in-process inventory. Daily activities also include tightening all warps at the beginning of every shift along with assigned housekeeping activities.

Position requires agility, good vision, legible and accurate record keeping, and comprehension of measurements and labels. Some mechanical skills involved including hoist operation and the use of a pry bar and wrenches. Physical requirements include the use of a step-ladder, up to 50 pounds of force required in the use of hand tools and up to 200 pounds of force to push knitted rolls of fabric to the scales for weighing. Steel-toe safety shoes required. Hearing protection is required.

THREADER 

Threads yarn through sley points and guides to prepare warp-knitting machine for knitting. Turns beams to align yarn ends. Cuts tape holding warp threads at intervals, using scissors. Places yarn ends through sley points and through guides using a threader and dobber, and ties ends in bunches to facilitate handling. Starts machine and winds end of cloth on take-up roll. Ties broken threads with fingers. Puts in ends and smashes and patrols and inspects as a fill-in knitter.

Position requires good vision, agility and good hand/eye coordination. Mechanical skills involved include use of scissors, threaders and wire cutters. Physical requirements include walking/standing, climbing step-stools/rolling stepladders, reaching and bending/stooping. Safety requirements include no loose clothing and long hair pulled back. Hearing protection required.

WARP KNIT OPERATOR

Monitors a group of raschel or tricot warp-knitting machines to knit quality elastic fabrics for various apparel, medical, and industrial uses. Patrols assigned machines and inspects cloth for defects, such as holes, yarn breaks, yarn streaks and discolorations. Stops machine and makes necessary repairs and notifies shift fixer/technician or supervisor when unable to make repair or determine cause of defects. Records number and type of defects. Hand-weaves new threads over and under lease rods, threads yarn through guides, using hook, and ties warp ends with fingers. Cuts excess thread from knots, using scissors. Operators are responsible for getting the roll ready to be doffed, and filling out appropriate punch card for warps that have run out. Operators and fixers are responsible for efficiency and fabric quality on their assignment. Operators are also responsible for housekeeping on their assigned machines. 

Position requires good vision, agility and good hand/eye coordination. Physical requirements include walking/standing, reaching, climbing step-stools/rolling stepladders and bending/stooping to repair defects. Must be able to read and write legibly to accurately maintain recods. Safety requirements include no loose clothing and long hair pulled back. Hearing protection required.

WARP KNIT SHIFT TECHNICIAN

Sets up, starts up, adjusts and repairs a set of Karl Mayer raschel or tricot knitting machines to knit quality fabric according to specifications, using knowledge of machine function. Must have knowledge of styles, yarns and defects. Must have ability to comprehend measurements of lengths and weights and be able to follow specification sheets and labels. The technician must be able to detect and analyze knitted fabric for defects in order to make needed repairs. Technicians repair and replace machine parts using an assortment of hand tools. Technicians are responsible for maintaining machine runners to specification. Technicians are also responsible for maintaining equipment with respect to preventive maintenance activities. Replaces busted boots and established housekeeping assignments.  

Position requires good mechanical skills, hand/eye coordination and vision. Must be able to read and write and be able to comprehend information concerning style changes and machine assignments and be able to communicate with knitting operators. Mechanical skills involved include the use of an assortment of hand tools. Physical requirements may include the use of a stepladder or step stool and the use of up to 50 pounds of force required in the use of hand tools. Additional requirements include walking/standing, climbing, reaching and bending/stooping. Hearing protection is required.

WARPER OPERATOR

Tends high-speed warpers that automatically wind yarn in parallel sheets onto beams to be used in warp knitting. Examines yarn in creel to ensure that yarn corresponds to warp pattern sheet specifications, for number of yarn ends, arrangement of yarn in creel, yarn size, and color. Requests creelers to alter creel setup to correspond with warp pattern sheet. Pulls yarn ends from packages mounted on creel, through tension devices, measuring, and spreading devices, and fastens ends to empty warp beam to thread machine. Sets yardage counter to record amount of yarn wound and starts machine. Observes operation to detect yarn breaks which cause machine to stop. Resets yardage counters after specified yardage is wound on beam and places gummed tape over ends and loops ends together to secure ends. Wraps beam with paper, marks yarn, number of ends and direction of yarn. Doffs full beams from warper and sets in empty beams. Must re-reed warper when size of yarn changes. When needed, warper operator may assist creelers in removing empty yarn packages or hanging new packages.

Position requires good hand dexterity, good vision and legible and accurate record keeping. Equipment used includes scissors, knitter hooks and tape. Must be able to communicate with creelers. Physical requirements include walking/standing, reaching, climbing and use of ladders. Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds and apply up to 100 pounds of force to doff and set-in beams. Safety requirements include no loose fitting clothes and long hair pulled back and tied back.