Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
Work Activities
-
Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
-
Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary.
-
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
-
Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times.
-
Read specifications, blueprints, and work orders to determine setups, temperatures, and time settings required to mold, form, or cast plastic materials, as well as to plan production sequences.
-
Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times.
-
Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools.
-
Cool products after processing to prevent distortion.
-
Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished.
-
Operate hoists to position dies or patterns on foundry floors.
-
Install dies onto machines or presses and coat dies with parting agents, according to work order specifications.
-
Unload finished products from conveyor belts, pack them in containers, and place containers in warehouses.
-
Perform maintenance work such as cleaning and oiling machines.
-
Remove finished or cured products from dies or molds, using hand tools, air hoses, and other equipment, stamping identifying information on products when necessary.
-
Obtain and move specified patterns to work stations, manually or using hoists, and secure patterns to machines, using wrenches.
-
Inventory and record quantities of materials and finished products, requisitioning additional supplies as necessary.
-
Select and install blades, tools, or other attachments for each operation.
-
Repair or replace damaged molds, pipes, belts, chains, or other equipment, using hand tools, hand-powered presses, or jib cranes.
-
Select coolants and lubricants, and start their flow.
-
Adjust equipment and workpiece holding fixtures, such as mold frames, tubs, and cutting tables, to ensure proper functioning.
-
Maintain inventories of materials.
-
Position and secure workpieces on machines, and start feeding mechanisms.
-
Trim excess material from parts, using knives, and grind scrap plastic into powder for reuse.
-
Smooth and clean inner surfaces of molds, using brushes, scrapers, air hoses, or grinding wheels, and fill imperfections with refractory material.
-
Mix and measure compounds, or weigh premixed compounds, and dump them into machine tubs, cavities, or molds.
-
Spray, smoke, or coat molds with compounds to lubricate or insulate molds, using acetylene torches or sprayers.
-
Preheat tools, dies, plastic materials, or patterns, using blowtorches or other equipment.
-
Pour or load metal or sand into melting pots, furnaces, molds, or hoppers, using shovels, ladles, or machines.
-
Clamp metal and plywood strips around dies or patterns to form molds.
-
Pull level and toggle latches to fill molds, to regulate tension on sheeting, and to release mold covers.
-
Skim or pour dross, slag, or impurities from molten metal, using ladles, rakes, hoes, spatulas, or spoons.
-
Shape molds to specified contours, using sand, and trowels and related tools.
-
Assemble shell halves, patterns, and foundry flasks, and reinforce core boxes, using glue, clamps, wire, bolts, rams, or machines.
-
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
-
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
-
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
-
Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
-
Manual Dexterity
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
Control Precision
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
-
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
-
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
-
Currently Employed
16,470
-
Yearly Projected Openings
1,570
- Education High school diploma or equivalent
- Work Experience No work experience
- Training 1 to 12 months on-the-job training
-
Looking for technical training programs?
Check out these programs:
Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
-
Dependability
-
Attention to Detail
-
Cooperation
-
Integrity
-
Independence
-
Initiative
-
Metal cutters
-
Hammers
-
Foundry ladles
-
Die casting machine
-
Casting machines
-
Spreadsheet software
-
Office suite software
-
Industrial control software
-
Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
-
Analytical or scientific software