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What They Do
About This Career
Makes or forms wax or sands cores or molds used in the production of metal castings in foundries.
This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Production pathway.
A person in this career:
- Cleans and smooths molds, cores, and core boxes, and repairs surface imperfections.
- Sifts and packs sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools.
- Positions patterns inside mold sections, and clamps sections together.
- Positions cores into lower sections of molds, and reassembles molds for pouring.
- Sprinkles or sprays parting agents onto patterns and mold sections to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.
- Forms and assembles slab cores around patterns, and positions wire in mold sections to reinforce molds, using hand tools and glue.
- Moves and positions workpieces, such as mold sections, patterns, and bottom boards, using cranes, or signals others to move workpieces.
- Lifts upper mold sections from lower sections, and removes molded patterns.
- Cuts spouts, runner holes, and sprue holes into molds.
- Tends machines that bond cope and drag together to form completed shell molds.
Working Conditions and Physical Demands
People who do this job report that:
- You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
- Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
- Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
- Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
- Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
- Exposed to conditions such as high voltage electricity, combustibles, explosives, and chemicals more than once a month
- Exposed to hazardous equipment such as saws, machinery, or vehicular traffic more than once a month
- Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
- Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
- Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
Working in this career involves (physical activities):
- Picking out a particular sound in the presence of other sounds
- Seeing clearly up close
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying objects
- Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring
Work Hours and Travel
Specialty and Similar Careers
Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:
- Green Sand Molder
- Mold Operator
- Core Machine Operator
- Core Maker
- Coremaker
- Core Stripper
- Mold Maker — Lays out, machines, fits, assembles, and finishes metal parts to make and repair dies for diecasting of metal products and metal molds.
- Molder
- No Bake Molder
- Sand Molder
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts national surveys of wage data by occupation in every state and in all industry divisions. These surveys are conducted through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program.
The statistics collected for one year are published the next fall. For example, 2013 wage information was published in the fall of 2014.
There are over 800 occupations in the surveys, and these occupations cover the entire U.S. labor market. The surveys ask for reports in a scale of ranges for both hourly wages and annual wages.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics for a broad category, be aware that the salary data for a specific career may differ.
For more details about how wage information is collected and calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm.
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts a national survey of over 400,000
employers in every state and in all industry divisions. This survey is conducted
through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program. Every other year the
department publishes outlook information based on these surveys.
Each outlook period covers 10 years. For example, in 2003 the outlook information
was published for 2004-2014. Employers are asked to report the number of employees
in about 770 different occupations that cover the entire U.S. labor market.
From this information, staffing patterns for different industries are established.
Industry growth is projected into the future based on past trends and current economic
conditions. Industry staffing patterns are then applied to the industry projections
to obtain occupational projections.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties
of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational
category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics
for a broad category, be aware that the employment data for a specific field may
differ.
For more details about how employment information is collected and calculated by
the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.
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