According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments. | 89% |
| Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary. | 87% |
| Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products. | 85% |
| Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times. | 84% |
| 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. | 81% |
| Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times. | 80% |
| Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools. | 78% |
| Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished. | 77% |
| Cool products after processing to prevent distortion. | 77% |
| Operate hoists to position dies or patterns on foundry floors. | 77% |
| Install dies onto machines or presses and coat dies with parting agents, according to work order specifications. | 76% |
| Unload finished products from conveyor belts, pack them in containers, and place containers in warehouses. | 75% |
| Perform maintenance work such as cleaning and oiling machines. | 74% |
| Remove finished or cured products from dies or molds, using hand tools, air hoses, and other equipment, stamping identifying information on products when necessary. | 74% |
| Obtain and move specified patterns to work stations, manually or using hoists, and secure patterns to machines, using wrenches. | 74% |
| Select and install blades, tools, or other attachments for each operation. | 73% |
| Repair or replace damaged molds, pipes, belts, chains, or other equipment, using hand tools, hand-powered presses, or jib cranes. | 73% |
| Inventory and record quantities of materials and finished products, requisitioning additional supplies as necessary. | 73% |
| Select coolants and lubricants, and start their flow. | 73% |
| Adjust equipment and workpiece holding fixtures, such as mold frames, tubs, and cutting tables, to ensure proper functioning. | 73% |
| Maintain inventories of materials. | 73% |
| Position and secure workpieces on machines, and start feeding mechanisms. | 73% |
| Trim excess material from parts, using knives, and grind scrap plastic into powder for reuse. | 72% |
| Smooth and clean inner surfaces of molds, using brushes, scrapers, air hoses, or grinding wheels, and fill imperfections with refractory material. | 72% |
| Mix and measure compounds, or weigh premixed compounds, and dump them into machine tubs, cavities, or molds. | 72% |
| Spray, smoke, or coat molds with compounds to lubricate or insulate molds, using acetylene torches or sprayers. | 71% |
| Preheat tools, dies, plastic materials, or patterns, using blowtorches or other equipment. | 71% |
| Pour or load metal or sand into melting pots, furnaces, molds, or hoppers, using shovels, ladles, or machines. | 68% |
| Clamp metal and plywood strips around dies or patterns to form molds. | 65% |
| Pull level and toggle latches to fill molds, to regulate tension on sheeting, and to release mold covers. | 65% |
| Skim or pour dross, slag, or impurities from molten metal, using ladles, rakes, hoes, spatulas, or spoons. | 63% |
| Shape molds to specified contours, using sand, and trowels and related tools. | 55% |
| Assemble shell halves, patterns, and foundry flasks, and reinforce core boxes, using glue, clamps, wire, bolts, rams, or machines. | 49% |
