Print Flatbed Cutter Operator / Custom Hardware Fabricator

CR & A CUSTOM APPAREL INC

Print Flatbed Cutter Operator / Custom Hardware Fabricator

Los Angeles, CA
Full Time
Paid
  • Responsibilities

    Benefits:

    Free uniforms

    Paid time off

    Training & development

    About CR&A Custom

    CR&A Custom is a Los Angeles large-format printing and visual display company. We produce building wraps, tradeshow and retail displays, event graphics, and out-of-home advertising for national brands, and we handle fabrication and installation in house.

    Position Summary

    We are hiring an experienced flatbed cutter operator to run our Colex digital cutting table and build the custom hardware our graphics mount to. You will own the cutter: setup, file prep, tooling, cut quality, and machine upkeep. Between cut jobs you will be on the bench building the frames, mounts, and structures that finish the job.

    Key Responsibilities

    Flatbed cutting

    Set up, operate, and maintain the Colex flatbed cutting table as the primary operator

    Load and register printed and raw substrates on the vacuum table; verify registration marks and correct for print stretch or skew

    Select, install, and calibrate tooling for the material and cut type: drag knife, oscillating and tangential knives, creasing wheels, routing bits, v-cut

    Prepare, import, and nest cut files; optimize nesting for material yield

    Dial in cut parameters for material thickness, kiss-cut vs. through-cut, and edge quality across mixed substrates

    Run first articles and in-process QC against job specs; catch registration and tolerance problems before a full sheet is scrapped

    Perform operator-level maintenance: blade and bit changes, vacuum table and belt care, lubrication, calibration checks, and logging machine issues for service

    Custom hardware fabrication

    Build, assemble, and finish custom hardware for displays and signage: frames, backers, mounting systems, brackets, crates, and one-off structures

    Work across aluminum, steel, wood, acrylic, PVC, Dibond, coroplast, and foam board

    Operate shop tools accurately and safely: table and panel saw, miter saw, drill press, router, grinder, sander, rivet gun, and standard hand and power tools

    Drill, tap, fasten, and finish assemblies to spec; build square, flat, and to tolerance

    Work from shop drawings, cut lists, dimensioned sketches, and direction from the production team

    Prototype and problem-solve hardware for jobs that have no existing template

    Shop support

    Move, stage, and stack materials and finished goods; support packing and load-outs

    Keep the machine, tooling, work area, and shop clean, organized, and safe

    Required Qualifications

    2+ years operating a digital flatbed cutting table in a production environment (e.g., Colex, Zund, Summa, or comparable)

    Hands-on experience with tooling selection, cut parameter setup, and registration on printed material

    Demonstrated fabrication and assembly skill with both wood and metal

    Confident and safe with shop power tools and machinery

    Able to read a tape measure to 1/16", work from drawings, and hold dimensional tolerances

    Reliable attendance and flexibility to work overtime when production requires it

    Preferred Qualifications

    Direct Colex experience and familiarity with its control software

    Cut-file prep in Illustrator, AutoCAD, or comparable software

    Experience with large-format print substrates and finishing (laminating, mounting, trimming, grommeting, hemming)

    Welding or metal fabrication background (MIG/TIG)

    Forklift or scissor lift certification

    OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 certification

    Physical Requirements

    The essential functions of this position require the ability to:

    Stand and walk on a concrete shop floor for the majority of an 8+ hour shift

    Regularly lift, carry, push, or pull up to 50 lbs, and team-lift full sheets and large assemblies

    Bend, kneel, crouch, reach overhead, and handle full-size sheet goods onto and off the cutting table

    Work with hand and power tools requiring fine motor control and hand-eye coordination

    Work in a shop environment with noise, dust, and variable temperatures, wearing required PPE