Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Job Description
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
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What Do Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Do?
The core tasks performed by molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic cover:
- 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.
- Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times.
- Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools.
- Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Aluminum Molder
- Aluminum Molding Machine Operator
- Automatic Casting Machine Operator
- Babbitt Spinner
- Babbitter
- Bench Molder
- Bender Machine Operator
- Bit Bender
Employment and Demand
There are about 211,132 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +11.2% over the projection horizon.
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $60,853 |
| Hourly median | $29.26 |
| 10th percentile | $36,478 |
| 25th percentile | $48,666 |
| 75th percentile | $73,041 |
| 90th percentile | $85,229 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $70,390 |
| Maine | $59,050 |
| Nevada | $52,900 |
| Colorado | $51,900 |
| Maryland | $50,990 |
| Washington | $47,640 |
| Minnesota | $47,110 |
| Delaware | $46,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,300 |
| Utah | $45,820 |
| Virginia | $45,620 |
| Vermont | $45,390 |
| California | $45,380 |
| Iowa | $45,380 |
| Kentucky | $45,000 |
| Wisconsin | $44,360 |
| Nebraska | $44,250 |
| Missouri | $44,130 |
| New Hampshire | $43,880 |
| Montana | $43,690 |
| Arizona | $43,180 |
| Ohio | $42,330 |
| Illinois | $42,320 |
| Wyoming | $42,030 |
| Rhode Island | $41,650 |
| New York | $41,600 |
| North Carolina | $41,550 |
| Indiana | $41,430 |
| Mississippi | $41,260 |
| South Carolina | $40,930 |
| West Virginia | $40,710 |
| New Mexico | $40,700 |
| Connecticut | $40,580 |
| Oregon | $40,270 |
| North Dakota | $40,010 |
| South Dakota | $38,920 |
| Kansas | $38,890 |
| Florida | $38,690 |
| Oklahoma | $38,270 |
| Georgia | $38,250 |
| Massachusetts | $38,130 |
| Tennessee | $38,090 |
| Michigan | $38,000 |
| Texas | $37,930 |
| Arkansas | $37,640 |
| Louisiana | $37,440 |
| Alabama | $37,000 |
| New Jersey | $35,910 |
| Idaho | $35,080 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,570 |
Where Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Earn the Most
Compensation for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountains | $46,699 | 3.2% | 1.15 |
| Far Western US | $45,455 | 8.8% | 0.56 |
| Plains States | $44,043 | 8.4% | 1.32 |
| Middle Atlantic | $42,959 | 8.9% | 0.82 |
| Great Lakes | $41,538 | 36.3% | 2.60 |
| New England | $40,946 | 4.6% | 1.02 |
| Southeast | $40,203 | 21.9% | 1.58 |
| Southwest | $38,706 | 7.3% | 0.64 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $72,950 | 190 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | ME | $60,660 | 340 |
| Evansville, IN | IN | $59,830 | 870 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | WI | $56,310 | 170 |
| Ogden, UT | UT | $55,990 | 730 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | VA | $55,420 | 130 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | NV | $54,710 | 210 |
| Sheboygan, WI | WI | $53,710 | 1,010 |
Top Industries Employing Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Most molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 139,410 | $42,790 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,550 | $41,020 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 470 | $45,300 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 100 | $53,000 |
| Construction | 80 | $46,090 |
| Retail Trade | 80 | $35,120 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 60 | $35,610 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 40 | $50,620 |
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Standing
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
Education and Training
Most molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Supplemental)
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-4072.00 (Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic).
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