About This Career Path
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
Manufacturing
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
Manufacturing Industry
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Average
$40,280
ANNUAL
$19.36
HOURLY
Entry Level
$29,250
ANNUAL
$14.06
HOURLY
Mid Level
$37,150
ANNUAL
$17.86
HOURLY
Expert Level
$58,830
ANNUAL
$28.29
HOURLY
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
1,870
Projected job openings through 2030
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Supporting Certifications
Degree Recommendations
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
01
Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
02
Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary.
03
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
04
Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times.
05
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.
06
Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times.
07
Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools.
08
Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished.
09
Operate hoists to position dies or patterns on foundry floors.
10
Cool products after processing to prevent distortion.
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Common knowledge, skills & abilities needed to get a foot in the door.
KNOWLEDGE
Production and Processing
KNOWLEDGE
Mechanical
KNOWLEDGE
Mathematics
KNOWLEDGE
English Language
KNOWLEDGE
Administration and Management
SKILL
Operations Monitoring
SKILL
Active Listening
SKILL
Monitoring
SKILL
Operation and Control
SKILL
Reading Comprehension
ABILITY
Arm-Hand Steadiness
ABILITY
Manual Dexterity
ABILITY
Control Precision
ABILITY
Multilimb Coordination
ABILITY
Deductive Reasoning
Manufacturing
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