Fabric Technician (ID #524458)

Position Overview

The Fabric Cutter & Welder Operator is responsible for the safe, efficient, and accurate operation of an automated fabric cutter and electric impulse welding machine. The technician loads material, programs and recalls cut recipes, runs production, inspects finished goods, and troubleshoots and performs routine operator-level maintenance. This role is critical to on-time delivery of cut goods to downstream assembly, finishing, or shipping operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Read and interpret cut tickets, work orders and specifications.
• Load and mount fabric rolls onto the cutter feed system using lifts or manual handling as appropriate to roll weight.
• Thread material through feed rollers, tensioners, and guides; align fabric to ensure square, wrinkle-free feeding.
• Start production runs, monitor cycle operation, diagnose and make real-time adjustments to maintain cut accuracy, weld integrity and fabric quality.
• Verify finished cut pieces against specifications using tape measures, squares, and templates; confirm tolerances on length, width, squareness, and edge quality.
• Inspect fabric for defects (flaws, color variation, shading, dye lot mismatches, contamination) and flag or reject non-conforming material per quality standards.
• Inspect welded seams for full bond, correct pocket width, straightness, and cosmetic defects (gloss, scorching, wrinkles); reject and tag any non-conforming material per quality standards.
• Communicate production status, material shortages, and equipment issues to management promptly.
• Stage completed cut and welded pieces for testing, finish production paperwork and ERP entries accurately.
• Troubleshoot equipment issues, perform first-line corrective actions, and escalate to supervisor or maintenance when needed
• Maintain a clean, organized, and hazard-free work area in accordance with 5S and plant standards.
• Comply with all safety protocols, PPE requirements and OSHA standards.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by management in support of production and facility operations.

Qualifications

Required

• High school diploma or GED, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Two (2) or more years of experience operating industrial textiles, fabric, or roll-goods cutting equipment.
• Ability to read and interpret work orders, cut tickets, measurements (imperial and metric), and basic shop drawings.
• Proficiency with tape measures, squares, calipers, and basic measurement tools.
• Comfort operating touchscreen or PLC-based machine controls and entering cut parameters.
• Basic computer literacy sufficient to use an ERP/MES terminal for production reporting.

Preferred

• Direct experience with Matic-brand automated cutters and welding machines.
• Forklift certification and experience handling heavy fabric rolls.