Tool and Die Maker Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.
Tool and Die Maker is Also Know as
In different settings, Tool and Die Maker is titled as
- Die Machinist
- Die Repair Laborer
- Die Repair Technician (Die Repair Tech)
- Jig and Fixture Repairer
- Tool and Die Machinist
- Tool and Die Maker
- Tool and Fixture Specialist
- Tool Maker
- Tool Repairer
- Trim Die Maker
Education and Training of Tool and Die Maker
Tool and Die Maker is categorized in Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Experience Required for Tool and Die Maker
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education Required for Tool and Die Maker
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees Related to Tool and Die Maker
- Bachelor in Tool and Die Technology/Technician
- Associate Degree Courses in Tool and Die Technology/Technician
- Masters Degree Courses in Tool and Die Technology/Technician
Training Required for Tool and Die Maker
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Related Ocuupations
Some Ocuupations related to Tool and Die Maker in different industries are
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
- Machinists
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
What Do Tool and Die Maker do?
- Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies.
- Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.
- Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications.
- Set up and operate conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bore, grind, or otherwise shape parts to prescribed dimensions and finishes.
- File, grind, shim, and adjust different parts to properly fit them together.
- Conduct test runs with completed tools or dies to ensure that parts meet specifications, making adjustments as necessary.
- Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects.
- Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders.
- Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates.
- Measure, mark, and scribe metal or plastic stock to lay out machining, using instruments such as protractors, micrometers, scribes, or rulers.
- Cut, shape, and trim blanks or blocks to specified lengths or shapes, using power saws, power shears, rules, and hand tools.
- Design jigs, fixtures, and templates for use as work aids in the fabrication of parts or products.
- Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance.
- Set up and operate drill presses to drill and tap holes in parts for assembly.
- Develop and design new tools and dies, using computer-aided design software.
- Set pyrometer controls of heat-treating furnaces and feed or place parts, tools, or assemblies into furnaces to harden.
- Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders.
Qualities of Good Tool and Die Maker
- Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
- Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
- Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
- 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.
- 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).
- Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- 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.
- Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Mathematical Reasoning: The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
- 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 Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- 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).
- Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
- Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Visual Color Discrimination: The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
- Number Facility: The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
- 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).
- Auditory Attention: The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
- Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
- Dynamic Strength: The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
- Stamina: The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
- Extent Flexibility: The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
- Hearing Sensitivity: The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
- Wrist-Finger Speed: The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.
- Speed of Closure: The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
- Memorization: The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
- Gross Body Coordination: The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
- Speed of Limb Movement: The ability to quickly move the arms and legs.
- Spatial Orientation: The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
- Gross Body Equilibrium: The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
- Glare Sensitivity: The ability to see objects in the presence of a glare or bright lighting.
- 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.
- Sound Localization: The ability to tell the direction from which a sound originated.
- Dynamic Flexibility: The ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
- Explosive Strength: The ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw an object.
Tools Used by Tool and Die Maker
- 1-2-3 blocks
- Abrasive cutoff saws
- Acetylene torches
- Adjustable widemouth pliers
- Air compressors
- Air grinders
- Air-powered sandblasters
- Allen wrenches
- Angle gauge blocks
- Angle plates
- Arbor presses
- Band saws
- Bearing pullers
- Bench grinders
- Bore gauges
- Boring bars
- Brazing equipment
- Bridge cranes
- Broachers
- Chuck keys
- Claw hammers
- Cold chisels
- Combination milling machines
- Combination squares
- Compound sine bars
- Computerized numerical control CNC turning centers
- Coordinate measuring machines CMM
- Counterbores
- Countersinks
- Cutoff saws
- Deburring machines
- Deburring tools
- Depth gauges
- Desktop computers
- Dial calipers
- Dial indicators
- Diamond dressers
- Die grinders
- Die maker's squares
- Die spotting presses
- Digital micrometers
- Digital plotters
- Disc grinders
- Dividers
- Drill point gauges
- Drill presses
- Dust collectors
- Dust masks
- Ear plugs
- Electrical Discharge Machining EDM machines
- Engraving machines
- Feeler gauges
- Flat blade screwdrivers
- Forklifts
- Furnace ladles
- Gap lathes
- Gauge blocks
- Gear lathes
- Grease guns
- Grinding wheel dressing sticks
- Grinding wheels
- Grit blasting cabinets
- Hacksaws
- Hand clamps
- Hand jacks
- Hand reamers
- Handheld refractometers
- Hardness testing devices
- Heat treatment furnaces
- Height micrometers
- Hermaphrodite calipers
- Hoisting equipment
- Honing machines
- Honing stones
- Horizontal boring mills
- Hydraulic pressing equipment
- Jig bores
- Knee mills
- Knurling tools
- Laptop computers
- Laser cutters
- Laser scanner coordinate capturing equipment
- Layout squares
- Loupes
- Magnetic drill presses
- Magnifying glasses
- Mallets
- Measuring tapes
- Metal inert gas MIG welders
- Metal markers
- Metal scribers
- Oil dispensing cans
- Optical comparators
- Optical flats
- Oxyacetylene welding equipment
- Phillips head screwdrivers
- Plasma arc welding equipment
- Plug gauges
- Portable drills
- Portable welders
- Power drills
- Power grinders
- Power press brakes
- Power shears
- Precision files
- Precision levels
- Precision rulers
- Precision tapered reamers
- Profile grinders
- Protective face shields
- Protractors
- Punch sets
- Radial drill presses
- Radius gauges
- Rasps
- Riveting tools
- Rotary surface grinders
- Safety glasses
- Safety goggles
- Shielded arc welding tools
- Stamping presses
- Steel rules
- Stick welders
- Surface finish comparators
- Surface gauges
- Surface grinding machines
- T-style tap wrenches
- Tap extractors
- Tap sets
- Telescoping gauges
- Telescoping measuring rods
- Tensile testers
- Thread gauges
- Thread ring gauges
- Tin snips
- Tongs
- Toolmaker's microscopes
- Tube benders
- Tungsten inert gas TIG welding equipment
- Turning tools
- Turret lathes
- Turret punch presses
- Ultrasonic testing equipment
- V blocks
- Vernier calipers
- Vernier height gauges
- Vernier protractors
- Vertical bandsaws
- Vertical belt sanders
- Vertical milling machines
- Vibratory tumblers
- Welders
- Wire brushes
- Wire electrical discharge machines
- Workshop bench vises
- Workshop cranes
Technology Skills required for Tool and Die Maker
- 1CadCam Unigraphics
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Autodesk Inventor
- Bentley MicroStation
- Cimatron CimatronE Master
- CNC Mastercam
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
- data M Software COPRA MetalBender
- DP Technology ESPRIT
- JobPack MES Scheduler
- Kubotek USA KeyCreator
- Logopress
- MAKER CAD/CAM Services DIEMAKER
- Mastercam computer-aided design and manufacturing software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft Word
- NC verification software
- OPEN MIND Technologies hyperMILL
- PTC Creo Parametric
- SAP software
- Seco Tools Seco Point
- Striker Systems SS-Die Design
- Striker Systems SS-Draw Form
- Striker Systems SS-Strip Design
- Vero International VISI-Mould
- Virtual Gibbs CADD/CAM
- VX Corporation VX Mold & Die