How to become Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in 2024

Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.

Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is Also Know as

In different settings, Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is titled as

  • Core Machine Operator
  • Die Cast Technician
  • Diecast Machine Operator
  • Machine Operator
  • Mold Setter
  • Mold Technician
  • Molder
  • Process Technician
  • Production Technician

Education and Training of Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is categorized in Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Experience Required for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Education Required for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Degrees Related to Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Training Required for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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.

Related Ocuupations

Some Ocuupations related to Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in different industries are

What Do Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic do?

  • Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary.
  • Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
  • Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
  • Position and secure workpieces on machines, and start feeding mechanisms.
  • Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times.
  • Remove finished or cured products from dies or molds, using hand tools, air hoses, and other equipment, stamping identifying information on products when necessary.
  • Skim or pour dross, slag, or impurities from molten metal, using ladles, rakes, hoes, spatulas, or spoons.
  • Trim excess material from parts, using knives, and grind scrap plastic into powder for reuse.
  • Cool products after processing to prevent distortion.
  • Install dies onto machines or presses and coat dies with parting agents, according to work order specifications.
  • Mix and measure compounds, or weigh premixed compounds, and dump them into machine tubs, cavities, or molds.
  • Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times.
  • Spray, smoke, or coat molds with compounds to lubricate or insulate molds, using acetylene torches or sprayers.
  • 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.
  • Adjust equipment and workpiece holding fixtures, such as mold frames, tubs, and cutting tables, to ensure proper functioning.
  • Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished.
  • Inventory and record quantities of materials and finished products, requisitioning additional supplies as necessary.
  • Pour or load metal or sand into melting pots, furnaces, molds, or hoppers, using shovels, ladles, or machines.
  • Unload finished products from conveyor belts, pack them in containers, and place containers in warehouses.
  • Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools.
  • Preheat tools, dies, plastic materials, or patterns, using blowtorches or other equipment.
  • Operate hoists to position dies or patterns on foundry floors.
  • Smooth and clean inner surfaces of molds, using brushes, scrapers, air hoses, or grinding wheels, and fill imperfections with refractory material.
  • Obtain and move specified patterns to work stations, manually or using hoists, and secure patterns to machines, using wrenches.
  • Perform maintenance work such as cleaning and oiling machines.
  • Repair or replace damaged molds, pipes, belts, chains, or other equipment, using hand tools, hand-powered presses, or jib cranes.
  • Maintain inventories of materials.
  • Select coolants and lubricants, and start their flow.
  • Assemble shell halves, patterns, and foundry flasks, and reinforce core boxes, using glue, clamps, wire, bolts, rams, or machines.
  • Pull level and toggle latches to fill molds, to regulate tension on sheeting, and to release mold covers.
  • Select and install blades, tools, or other attachments for each operation.
  • Shape molds to specified contours, using sand, and trowels and related tools.
  • Clamp metal and plywood strips around dies or patterns to form molds.

Qualities of Good Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

  • 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.
  • Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Trunk Strength: The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
  • Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Rate Control: The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
  • Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Auditory Attention: The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
  • Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Dynamic Strength: The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
  • Hearing Sensitivity: The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
  • Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
  • Stamina: The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
  • Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Speed of Closure: The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
  • Depth Perception: The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
  • Visual Color Discrimination: The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Response Orientation: The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
  • Extent Flexibility: The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Gross Body Coordination: The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
  • Wrist-Finger Speed: The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.
  • Time Sharing: The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
  • Mathematical Reasoning: The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Number Facility: The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Gross Body Equilibrium: The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
  • Explosive Strength: The ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw an object.
  • Originality: The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Glare Sensitivity: The ability to see objects in the presence of a glare or bright lighting.
  • Memorization: The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
  • Speed of Limb Movement: The ability to quickly move the arms and legs.
  • Sound Localization: The ability to tell the direction from which a sound originated.
  • Spatial Orientation: The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
  • Night Vision: The ability to see under low-light conditions.
  • Peripheral Vision: The ability to see objects or movement of objects to one's side when the eyes are looking ahead.
  • Dynamic Flexibility: The ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

Tools Used by Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

  • 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

Technology Skills required for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

  • FANUC Robotics iRVision
  • HotFlo! Die-Shot Monitor
  • Intera Systems Hawk-i
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word
  • RobotWare DieCast
  • SAP software
  • Visi-Trak True-Trak 20/20