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Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic - 51-4072.00

O*NET-SOC Description

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

Sample of Reported Job Titles

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

SOC Occupation Groups

51-0000 Production Occupations
51-4000 Metal Workers and Plastic Workers
51-4070 Molders and Molding Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
51-4072.00 Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Related Occupations

Tasks

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

Detailed Work Activities

  • Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment.
  • Apply lubricants or coolants to workpieces.
  • Apply parting agents or other solutions to molds.
  • Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.
  • Build production molds.
  • Clean production equipment.
  • Connect supply lines to production equipment or tools.
  • Fill cracks, imperfections, or holes in products or workpieces.
  • Heat material or workpieces to prepare for or complete production.
  • Inspect metal, plastic, or composite products.
  • Load items into ovens or furnaces.
  • Load materials into production equipment.
  • Lubricate production equipment.
  • Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
  • Maintain production or processing equipment.
  • Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information.
  • Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
  • Mix substances to create chemical solutions.
  • Monitor equipment operation to ensure that products are not flawed.
  • Monitor instruments to ensure proper production conditions.
  • Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
  • Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
  • Move products, materials, or equipment between work areas.
  • Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
  • Operate grinding equipment.
  • Operate metal or plastic forming equipment.
  • Package products for storage or shipment.
  • Place materials into molds.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Remove accessories, tools, or other parts from equipment.
  • Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
  • Remove workpieces from molds.
  • Repair templates, patterns, or molds.
  • Replace worn equipment components.
  • Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
  • Select production equipment according to product specifications.
  • Select production input materials.
  • Set equipment guides, stops, spacers, or other fixtures.
  • Skim impurities from molten metal.
  • Smooth metal surfaces or edges.
  • Study blueprints or other instructions to determine equipment setup requirements.
  • Trim excess material from workpieces.

Military Crosswalk Titles

  • Machinist (Marine Corps - Enlisted)
  • Rubber and Plastics Worker (Navy - Enlisted)

Apprenticeship Crosswalk Titles

  • Caster (Nonferrous Metal)
  • Injection-Molding-Machnist Operator
  • Mold Setter
  • Molder, Pattern (Foundry)
  • Plastic Process Technician

DOT Crosswalk Titles

  • Blocker, Metal Base
  • Blow-Molding-Machine Tender
  • Bullet-Casting Operator
  • Bullet-Slug-Casting-Machine Operator
  • Cake-Press Operator
  • Caster
  • Casting Operator
  • Casting-Machine Operator
  • Casting-Machine Operator, Automatic
  • Casting-Wheel Operator
  • Centrifugal-Casting-Machine Operator I
  • Centrifugal-Casting-Machine Operator II
  • Centrifugal-Casting-Machine Operator III
  • Centrifugal-Casting-Machine Tender
  • Compression-Molding-Machine Operator
  • Compression-Molding-Machine Tender
  • Contact-Lens Molder
  • Coremaker, Machine I
  • Coremaker, Machine II
  • Coremaker, Machine III
  • Corrugator Operator
  • Diamond Blender
  • Die-Casting-Machine Operator I
  • Die-Casting-Machine Operator II
  • Die-Casting-Machine Setter
  • Injection-Molding-Machine Operator
  • Injection-Molding-Machine Tender
  • Machine Molder
  • Mold Setter
  • Molder, Lead Ingot
  • Molder, Pattern
  • Molder, Pipe Covering
  • Molder, Punch
  • Pig-Machine Operator
  • Plastic Process Technician
  • Preform-Machine Operator
  • Remelter
  • Rotor Casting-Machine Operator
  • Setter, Molding-and-Coremaking Machines
  • Shell Molder
  • Shot Dropper
  • Type-Casting Machine Operator
  • Vacuum Caster
  • Vacuum Plastic-Forming-Machine Operator