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

Overview

Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic has a national median salary of $44,350 per year, with -3.4% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

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

Work Values

• Support
• Relationships
• Independence

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
• Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary.
• Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
• Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times.
• 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.

Work Activities

• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Getting Information
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People

Detailed Work Activities

• Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished an associate's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Associate's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a high school diploma or equivalent.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic:

Video Resources