Occupation

Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Human Advantage 62%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
4.1 / 10

Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.

Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.

Also Known As: Aluminum Molder, Aluminum Molding Machine Operator, Automatic Casting Machine Operator, Babbitt Spinner, Babbitter, Bench Molder, Bender Machine Operator, Bit Bender +131 more

Video

Core Tasks

  1. Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
  2. Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary.
  3. Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
  4. Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times.
  5. 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.
  6. Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times.
  7. Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools.
  8. Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished.
  9. Perform maintenance work such as cleaning and oiling machines.
  10. Smooth and clean inner surfaces of molds, using brushes, scrapers, air hoses, or grinding wheels, and fill imperfections with refractory material.

Supplemental Tasks (19)

  1. Operate hoists to position dies or patterns on foundry floors.
  2. Cool products after processing to prevent distortion.
  3. Install dies onto machines or presses and coat dies with parting agents, according to work order specifications.
  4. Unload finished products from conveyor belts, pack them in containers, and place containers in warehouses.
  5. Remove finished or cured products from dies or molds, using hand tools, air hoses, and other equipment, stamping identifying information on products when necessary.
  6. Obtain and move specified patterns to work stations, manually or using hoists, and secure patterns to machines, using wrenches.
  7. Select and install blades, tools, or other attachments for each operation.
  8. Repair or replace damaged molds, pipes, belts, chains, or other equipment, using hand tools, hand-powered presses, or jib cranes.
  9. Inventory and record quantities of materials and finished products, requisitioning additional supplies as necessary.
  10. Select coolants and lubricants, and start their flow.
  11. Adjust equipment and workpiece holding fixtures, such as mold frames, tubs, and cutting tables, to ensure proper functioning.
  12. Maintain inventories of materials.
  13. Position and secure workpieces on machines, and start feeding mechanisms.
  14. Trim excess material from parts, using knives, and grind scrap plastic into powder for reuse.
  15. Mix and measure compounds, or weigh premixed compounds, and dump them into machine tubs, cavities, or molds.
  16. Spray, smoke, or coat molds with compounds to lubricate or insulate molds, using acetylene torches or sprayers.
  17. Preheat tools, dies, plastic materials, or patterns, using blowtorches or other equipment.
  18. Pour or load metal or sand into melting pots, furnaces, molds, or hoppers, using shovels, ladles, or machines.
  19. Skim or pour dross, slag, or impurities from molten metal, using ladles, rakes, hoes, spatulas, or spoons.

Education & Training

Job Zone 2 Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
57%
Less than a High School Diploma
30%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
11%
Some College Courses
2%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word
  • SAP software

Software (10)

  • FANUC Robotics iRVision
  • HotFlo! Die-Shot Monitor
  • Intera Systems Hawk-i
  • RobotWare DieCast
  • Visi-Trak True-Trak 20/20

Tools & Equipment (58)

  • Air angle die grinders
  • Air guns
  • Air purifying respirators
  • Aluminized suits
  • Aluminum hammers
  • Brass hammers
  • Cold chamber die casting machines
  • Compressed air sprayers
  • Deflashing tools
  • Die bars
  • Die cast dies
  • Digital handheld thermometers
  • Digital micrometers
  • Digital psychrometers
  • Digital radius gauges
  • Digital surface thermometers
  • Digital timers
  • Digital torque wrenches
  • Duckbill pliers
  • Electric overhead traveling EOT cranes
  • Extruding equipment
  • Flash trimming knives
  • Gate cutters
  • Gravity die casting machines
  • Hand crimpers
  • Hand scrapers
  • Hex key sets
  • Hot chamber die casting machines
  • Hydraulic pressure gauges
  • Injection molding machines
  • Lifting slings
  • Loading robots
  • Measuring tapes
  • Mechanical limit switches
  • Melt pressure transducers
  • Mold clamps
  • Multipurpose screwdrivers
  • Needle nose pliers
  • Orifice gauges
  • Pneumatic die grinders
  • Powered industrial trucks
  • Pressure die casting machines
  • Pressure washers
  • Protective glasses
  • Right angle pliers
  • Robotic metal ladles
  • Round nose pliers
  • Sprue pullers
  • Standard metal ladles
  • Stopwatches
  • Thermal imaging cameras
  • Thermocouples
  • Tie bar strain gauges
  • Trim presses
  • Utility knives
  • Video borescopes
  • Wheeled forklifts
  • Wire cleaning brushes

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Production & Automation Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 1
Sewing Machine Operators 79% match
Zone 2
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic You are here
Zone 3
Machinists 81% match
Zone 4
Fuel Cell Engineers 77% match
Zone 5
Microsystems Engineers 75% match

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