Bladder Builder

Job Description

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF WORK PERFORMED:
Hand builds Industrial Products in compliance with established safety requirements, customer specifications and SOIs.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS of the job follow. Management may assign other duties and responsibilities as necessary.

• Retrieves stock from storage area and hangs in proper location
• Returns material Kanban card to the Kanban rack
• Selects and retrieves appropriate mandrel; and by using a hoist and sling, loads mandrel onto building lathe
• Builds bladder by plying‑up all rubber, rubber reinforced with fabric, extruded beads onto mandrel, assembles sections of mandrel as required, applies matrix, nylon wrap, curing liner, separator sleeve, and / or curing sleeve in accordance with the building specification or SOI
• Using hoist, unloads mandrel from building lathe and loads mandrel onto transport or curing cart, pushes cart to autoclave, and with assistance from another operator, pushes mandrel from cart into autoclave
• Selects pre‑programmed cure cycle on programmable controller and/or manually sets cure time and temperature on programmable controller
• At the end of the cure cycle, removes mandrel from autoclave onto cart or removes cart from autoclave, removes curing sleeve or nylon wrap from cured bladder, using an air gun to release sleeve from bladder
• Takes mandrel to stripping area, with the assistance from another operator, disassembles mandrel by using hand tools and removes bladder from mandrel
• Returns mandrel to proper storage location
• Trims, inspects, and packages as required by the specification or SOI
• Mixes lubes and cements as required according to SOI
• Returns wooden cores and liners to proper calendar location
• Maintains good housekeeping by keeping work area neat and orderly
• Contacts lead operator, team leader, or maintenance regarding shutdown conditions as required and writes maintenance work orders as necessary
• Changes autoclave gaskets as necessary

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT USED:

• Various measuring devices (tape measure, pie tape, dial micrometer, dial caliper, weigh scales)
• Various cutting and hand tools (knives, hot knives, scissors, trimmers, cutters, wrenches, ratchets)
• Various material/mandrel handling devices (pallet jack, stacker, lift truck, tow motor, hoists, chains and straps, hand trucks, curing carts)
• Various air activated hand tools (wrenches, grinders)
• Various types of equipment (building lathes, autoclaves)
• Various part unloading tools (prying bars, clamps, holding fixtures, compressed air guns)

• Various lubes, cements, solvents, powders (zincsterate, soapstone)
• Various types of nylon wrap, curing liner, separator / curing sleeves, matrices, poly, tape, and liners
• Various calendered material (all rubber products, rubber reinforced w/ fabric, extruded rubber beads)

High School Diploma/GED preferred

None

• Ability to read and understand scheduling board or schedule, 4th shift generated routers, customer building specs, part and mold drawings, SOIs and safety requirements
• Ability to communicate and work well with others
• Proper understanding of the material Kanban procedures
• Operator may be asked to work or train in other departmental cells as needed

• Occasionally bend; stoop; and lift and carry up to 50 lbs. (less than 2 hours per 8‑hour work day)
• Frequently stand; walk; talk; hear; use hands and fingers to handle; reach with hands and arms (up to 6 hours per 8‑hour day)
• Moderate to significant upper body strength required to de‑mold parts. Frequent pulling/stretching rubber and fabric over mandrels with hands and arms

• Safety shoes, safety glasses and hearing protection are required
• Heat resistant gloves, chemical gloves required when needed
• The ambient temperature can exceed 100 degrees in the summer months

Additional Information

Our job titles may span more than one career level. The salary rate for this role is currently $0-0. The actual salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, education, business needs, market…