Set up, operate, or tend paper goods machines that perform a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, corrugating, banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, forming, or sealing paper or paperboard sheets into products.
U.S. Workers
96,950
Median Salary
$49,390
10-Year Growth
-6.3%
Annual Openings
8,100
Typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
15 of 15 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Cut products to specified dimensions, using hand or power cutters.
AI: Fully automatable - Cutting products to spec is commonly fully automated with CNC, laser, die, or programmed cutters in paper goods production by 2025.
Place rolls of paper or cardboard on machine feed tracks, and thread paper through gluing, coating, and slitting rollers.
AI: Fully automatable - Robotic reel handlers and automated web‑threading systems with machine vision are widely used and can place rolls and thread paper through rollers in many plants.
Monitor finished cartons as they drop from forming machines into rotating hoppers and into gravity feed chutes to prevent jamming.
AI: Fully automatable - Machine‑vision and automated control systems can detect drop/jam conditions in carton feeds and intervene (slow/stop/adjust) to prevent or mitigate jams.
Start machines and move controls to regulate tension on pressure rolls, to synchronize speed of machine components, and to adjust temperatures of glue or paraffin.
AI: Fully automatable - Starting machines and closed‑loop control of tension, component synchronization, and temperature regulation are routinely automated via PLCs and control software.
Fill glue and paraffin reservoirs, and position rollers to dispense glue onto paperboard.
AI: Fully automatable - Automated adhesive/parafin dispensing systems, reservoir refilling, and motorized roller positioning are common and can be fully automated on modern lines.
Stamp products with information such as dates, using hand stamps or automatic stamping devices.
AI: Fully automatable - Stamping/printing dates and similar information is routinely handled by automatic stamping or inkjet/thermal printers and is easily automated.
Remove finished cores, and stack or place them on conveyors for transfer to other work areas.
AI: Fully automatable - Robotic pick‑and‑place systems and conveyors can remove, stack, and transfer finished cores in many production environments.
Lift tote boxes of finished cartons, and dump cartons into feed hoppers.
AI: Fully automatable - Automated material‑handling equipment (robotic arms, gantries, conveyors, palletizers) can lift tote boxes and dump cartons into hoppers in modern facilities.
Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.
AI: Partial - Computer vision and sensors can detect many defects and systems can suggest or implement adjustments, but comprehensive verification and corrective troubleshooting remain partly manual.
Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension.
AI: Partial - Automated monitoring systems can detect many malfunctions (tension, glue flow) and raise alarms or apply fixes, yet nuanced diagnosis and repair still require human technicians.
Install attachments to machines for gluing, folding, printing, or cutting.
AI: Partial - Quick-change attachments and automated tool changers can handle many installs, but a wide range of machine-specific attachment tasks still rely on manual workers.
Adjust guide assemblies, forming bars, and folding mechanisms according to specifications, using hand tools.
AI: Partial - Precise manual adjustments requiring tactile judgement are only partially automated — cobots and guided tools can assist but rarely fully replace skilled human setters in varied setups.
Measure, space, and set saw blades, cutters, and perforators, according to product specifications.
AI: Partial - Measuring and setting blades/cutters/perforators can be automated in specialized fixtures, but many shops still rely on human setup and verification for variable product specs.
Disassemble machines to maintain, repair, or replace broken or worn parts, using hand or power tools.
AI: Partial - Some routine disassembly and module replacement can be mechanized, but general maintenance and repair requiring dexterity and diagnosis are not fully automated as of 2025.
Load automatic stapling mechanisms.
AI: Partial - Loading small consumable cartridges into stapling mechanisms is sometimes automated but often remains a manual or supervised task due to variability and small‑part handling.