Material cutter
Engineering and manufacturing
Level 2 -
Cut specified material components by hand or by machine using templates or measurements and then prepare the components for assembly.
Reference: OCC0899
Status:
SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 8112/00 Textile process operatives
- 5411/01 Curtain makers
- 5419/03 Sail makers
Technical Education Products
Employers involved in creating the standard:
Apparel tasker, Ena Shaw ltd, I A Samples, Ince Umbrellas, Leather, CofE, Maes of London, Morgan Furniture, Nieper Ltd, Plus Samples, The all in one company, The Senator Group
Summary
This occupation is found in the manufacturing sector, in the production of fashion and textiles items using various fabrics and materials such as canvas, cotton, leather, silk, vinyl, wool, woven and non-woven. Production ranges from bespoke to mass-produced items and includes, handbags, shoes, clothing, tents, industrial textiles, and numerous home wear products. Employers vary in size from micro to large.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to cut specified material components by hand or by machine using templates or measurements and then prepare the components for assembly. In preparation for cutting, a material cutter will select the materials following instructions, check the materials for quality issues, and plan, measure and calculate material usage ensuring waste minimalisation. They are then ready to cut components to meet the required quality, quantity, and specifications. They have a role in ensuring effective handover to the next stage, including bundling and labeling and completing records and documentation such as production/cutting sheets or work dockets. Material cutters are also responsible for dealing with quality issues and providing re-cuts as requested by the production team. In order to keep the process running smoothly, they maintain specialist machines and equipment, for example changing blades and chains, sharpening shears and blades, cleaning and removing lint and maintaining automated tables/machines.
Material cutters work in a production environment, often in a dedicated cutting room. They must have an eye for detail and be able to distinguish between colours and patterns. The role can be physically demanding, involving lifting heavy rolls of fabric and standing for long periods of time.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with other cutters, depending on the size and structure of the company. They will work under the supervision of a manager or supervisor and may interact with personnel from other teams such as production, maintenance, and stock control. They may also come into contact with external suppliers or customers.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for cutting materials to meet production targets and quality standards, ensuring continuous supply of cut components for the next stage in the process. They also need to achieve and maintain consistent standards in relation to material waste and time management. They are central to the efficiency and effectiveness of production; as once the material has been cut, little can be done to rectify serious mistakes and any errors will lead to problems at the assembly stage; minimising waste and ‘re-cuts’ is key. All work must be completed in line with health, safety and environmental regulations and considerations. They must wear personal protective equipment for example a chain mail glove and safety goggles, and follow workplace safety rules in the cutting room at all times.
Employers involved in creating the standard:
Apparel tasker, Ena Shaw ltd, I A Samples, Ince Umbrellas, Leather, CofE, Maes of London, Morgan Furniture, Nieper Ltd, Plus Samples, The all in one company, The Senator Group
Typical job titles include:
Keywords:
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
Duties
Duty D1
Receive, read and interpret cutting instructions/job sheet and plan the days cutting schedule. Cutting instructions may include material specifications, code number, quantity required, sizes, colour, style number, number of pattern pieces, customer details, a lay plan, and marker length.
Duty D2
Select material to be cut, check against the job sheet/specification and material availability, and report any shortages. Transport material to the cutting table/area safely.
Duty D3
Estimate/calculate material requirements and prepare materials for cutting for example, material relaxation, material spreading, laying/ fabric stack ensuring fabric pile and print is considered if appropriate.
Duty D4
Inspect material to ensure it meets quality standards, identifying and reporting flaws and faults such as shading, holes, overprint, scruffs, fibre structure and marks.
Duty D5
Apply the pattern/marker or the given measurements to the prepared material. Transfer marks and notches to the material using the appropriate tool, for example drill markers, punch perforators, cloth notches.
Duty D6
Following the markings, cut material using hand or automated equipment, for example shears, band knife, cross cutter, lay-end cutter, or automatic cutting system. Ensuring all instructions are followed, for example grain lines, pairs and quantities and material wastage is minimal.
Duty D7
Report issues relating to quality, quantity, templates, specifications, workload, equipment, plans and deadlines.
Duty D8
Conduct first line preventative maintenance on cutting equipment to ensure the efficient performance of tools, for example checking, cleaning, sharpening or changing blades.
Duty D9
Identify, bundle and label the cut components in order to pass onto the next stage of the manufacturing process, for example sorting, fusing, bonding, stitching.
Duty D10
Complete documentation relating to the cutting process for example work docket, work ticket, job/production sheet.
Duty D11
Support continuous improvement activity.
Occupational Progression
This occupational progression map shows technical occupations that have transferable knowledge and skills.
In this map, the focused occupation is highlighted in yellow. The arrows indicate where transferable knowledge and skills exist between two occupations. This map shows some of the strongest progression links between the focused occupation and other occupations.
It is anticipated that individuals would be required to undertake further learning or training to progress to and from occupations. To find out more about an occupation featured in the progression map, including the learning options available, click the occupation.
Progression decisions have been reached by comparing the knowledge and skills statements between occupational standards, combined with individualised learner movement data.
Engineering and manufacturing