DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
51-9195 Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
Occupational Description:
Mold, shape, form, cast, or carve products such as food products, figurines, tile, pipes, and candles consisting of clay, glass, plaster, concrete, stone, or combinations of materials.| Percentiles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| Minnesota | 790 | 155 | $17.84/hr | $0.50/hr | $12.64/hr | $14.49/hr | $17.50/hr | $20.43/hr | $24.41/hr |
| U S | 44,890 | 1,481 | $17.57/hr | $0.12/hr | $11.84/hr | $13.70/hr | $16.60/hr | $20.24/hr | $25.33/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change 2023 - 2025 | |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 10,020 | $22.42/hr | 1.5% |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 9,200 | $13.60/hr | 0.4% |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 4,070 | $17.94/hr | 0.0% |
| Tool and Die Makers | 1,840 | $27.62/hr | 0.3% |
| Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 1,180 | $22.18/hr | 0.2% |
| Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1,010 | $17.84/hr | -0.1% |
| Foundry Mold and Coremakers | 450 | $20.10/hr | -3.4% |
| Etchers and Engravers | 300 | $16.51/hr | 1.4% |
| Pourers and Casters, Metal | 260 | $17.76/hr | N/A |
| Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers | 230 | $18.33/hr | 0.5% |
| Cutters and Trimmers, Hand | 140 | $14.90/hr | -2.4% |
| Tire Builders | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Tasks for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
- Pours, packs, spreads, or presses plaster, concrete, liquid plastic, or other materials into or around model or mold.
- Applies reinforcing strips and additional layers of materials to form pattern of model.
- Reviews specifications, blueprint, or sketch, to plan and lay out work.
- Applies lubricant or parting agent to mold or pattern.
- Constructs or assembles wooden mold, using clamps and bolts, hand tools, and power tools.
- Locates and scribes parting line on patterns, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, square, and depth gauge.
- Positions and secures reinforcing structure or materials, flask, mold, model, or pattern.
- combines or melts ingredients to attain specified viscosity and shape.
- Removes casting from mold after specified time, using tools and equipment such as hand tools, power tools, and crane.
- Verifies dimensions, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, vernier gauge, and protractor.
- Mixes ingredients according to standard formula.
- Trims or removes excess material, using scraper, knife, or bandsaw.
- Patches broken edges and fractures, using clay or plaster and molders hand tools.
- Shapes mold to specified contours with sand, using trowel and related tools.
- Tilts melting pot or uses ladle to pour molten alloy, bronze, or other nonferrous metal into sand mold.
- Preheats dies or patterns, using blowtorch or other equipment, and applies parting compound.
- Lowers metal jig into molten metal in prescribed manner to attach anchor bolts to punch.
- Clamps metal and plywood strips around die or pattern to form mold.
- Operates foundry furnaces and ovens.
- Constructs wood patterns used to form sand molds for metal casts.
- Operates hoist to position dies or patterns on foundry floor.
- Machines metal patterns to exact dimensions.
- Guides nozzle over stone following stencil outline or chips along marks to create design or work surface down to desired finish.
- Drills holes, or cuts molding and grooves in stone.
- Studies artistic objects or graphic materials, such as models, sketches, or blueprints and plans carving or cutting technique.
- Lays out designs or dimensions on stone surface, by freehand or transfer from tracing paper, using scribe or chalk and measuring instruments.
- Selects chisels, pneumatic or surfacing tools, or sandblasting nozzles and determines sequence of their use according to intricacy of design or figure.
- Removes or adds stencil during blasting to create differences in depth of cuts, intricate designs, or rough, pitted finish.
- Loads sandblasting equipment with abrasive, attaches nozzle to hose, and turns valves to admit compressed air and activate jet.
- Verifies depth and dimensions of cut or carving, using measuring instruments, to ensure adherence to specifications.
- Moves fingers over surface of carving to ensure smoothness of finish.
- Shapes, bends, or joins sections of glass, using paddles, pressing and flattening hand tools, or cork.
- Blows tubing into specified shape, using compressed air or own breath.
- Places glass into die or mold of press and controls press to form products, such as, glassware components or optical blanks.
- Dips end of blowpipe into molten glass to collect gob on pipe head or cuts gob from molten glass, using sheers.
- Preheats or melts glass pieces or anneals or cools glass products and components, using ovens and refractory powder.
- Heats glass to pliable stage, using gas flame or oven.
- Cuts length of tubing to specified size, using file or cutting wheel.
- Inspects and measures product to verify conformance to specifications, using instruments, such as micrometers, calipers, magnifier, and ruler.
- Examines gob of molten glass for imperfections, utilizing knowledge of molten glass characteristics.
- Strikes neck of finished article to separate article from blowpipe.
- Determines type and quantity of glass required to fabricate product.
- Adjusts press stroke length and pressure, and regulates oven temperatures according to glass type processed.
- Develops sketch of glass product into blueprint specifications, applying knowledge of glass technology and glass blowing.
- Raises and shapes clay into ware, such as vases, saggers, and pitchers, on revolving wheel, using hands, fingers, and thumbs.
- Smoothes surfaces of finished piece, using rubber scrapers and wet sponge.
- Adjusts speed of wheel according to feel of changing firmness of clay.
- Positions ball of clay in center of potters wheel.
- Starts motor, or pumps treadle with foot to revolve wheel.
- Pulls wire through base of article and wheel to separate finished piece.
- Verifies size and form, using calipers and templates.
- Moves piece from wheel to dry.
- Constructs molds used for casting metal, clay or plaster objects, using plaster, fiberglass, rubber, casting machine, patterns and flasks.
- Smoothes surfaces of mold, using scraping tool and sandpaper.
- Bores holes or cuts grates and risers in mold, using power tools.
- Covers model or pattern of object from which mold is to be made with lubricant or parting agent to prevent mold from sticking to model.
- Melts metal pieces using torch and casts products, such as inlays and crowns, using centrifugal casting machine.
- Mixes modeling material, such as plaster powder and water, or mud, sand, and loam, to specified formula.
- Repairs cracks and broken edges of mold, using hand tools.
- Allows mold to harden or dry in oven and repeats process until mold is complete.
- Examines mold for accuracy.
- Separates model or pattern from mold.
- Removes excess modeling or mold material, such as plaster, wax, or rubber, using straightedge.
- Assembles hardened molds and seals joints.
- Places form around model and separately immerses each half portion of model in plaster, wax, or other mold-making material.
- Covers portions of model with layers of modeling or casting material treated to harden when allowed to set or dry.
- Fills mold with mixed material or applies material to mold to specified thickness.
- Operates and adjusts controls of heating equipment to melt material or to cure, dry or bake filled molds according to specifications.
- Measures ingredients and mixes molding or casting material or sealing compound, to prescribed consistency according to formula.
- Removes excess material and levels and smoothes wet mold mixture.
- Reads work order or examines part to determine part or section of product to be produced.
- Installs and secures mold or mold parts together.
- Selects size and type of mold according to instructions.
- Engraves or stamps identifying symbols, letters or numbers on product.
- Cleans and lubricates mold and mold parts.
- Cleans, trims, smoothes, and polishes products or parts.
- Fastens metal inserts, such as drainage tubes, bolts, or electrical connections to product, using hand tools and power tools.
- Inspects and tests parts or products for defects and to verify accuracy and adherence to standards.
- Aligns and assembles parts to produce completed product, using gauges and hand tools.
- Measures and cuts product to specified dimensions, using measuring and cutting instruments.
- Brushes or sprays surface of mold with parting agent or inserts paper to ensure smoothness and prevent sticking or seepage.
- Loads or stacks filled molds in oven, drier, or curing box, or on storage racks or carts.
- Assembles, inserts and adjusts wires, tubes, cores, fittings, rods, or patterns into mold, using hand tools and depth gauge.
- Opens mold and removes finished products.
- Molds parts or products using vibrator, handpress, or casting equipment and taps or tilts mold to ensure uniformity.
