Casting machine operator

Casting machine operators operate casting machines to manipulate metal substances into shape. They set up and tend casting machines to process molten ferrous and non-ferrous metals to manufacture metal materials. They conduct the flow of molten metals into casts, taking care to create the exact right circumstances to obtain the highest quality metal. They observe the flow of metal to identify faults. In case of a fault, they notify the authorised personnel and participate in the removal of the fault.

A casting machine operator typically does the following:

• Starts and operates furnace, oven, diecasting, coremaking, metal molding, or rotating machines to pour metal or create molds and casts.
• Removes casting from mold, mold from press, or core from core box, using tongs, pliers, hydraulic ram, or by inversion.
• Pours or loads metal or sand into melting pot, furnace, mold, core box or hopper, using shovel, ladle, or machine.
• Inspects metal casts, and molds for cracks, bubbles, or other defects and measures castings to ensure specifications met.
• Cleans, glues, and racks cores, ingots, or finished products for storage.
• Cuts spouts and pouring holes in molds and sizes hardened cores, using saws.
• Signals or directs other workers to load conveyor, spray molds, or remove ingots.
• Requisitions molds and supplies and inventories and records finished products.
• Weighs metals and powders and computes amounts of materials necessary to produce mixture of specified content.
• Smoothes and cleans inner surface of mold, using brush, scraper, airhose, or grinding wheel, and fills imperfections with refractory material.
• Sprays, smokes, or coats molds with compounds to lubricate or insulate mold, using acetylene torches or sprayers.
• Skims or pours dross, slag, or impurities from molten metal, using ladle, rake, hoe, spatula, or spoon.
• Assembles shell halves, patterns, and foundry flasks, and reinforces core boxes, using glue, clamps, wire, bolts, rams, or machines.
• Repairs or replaces damaged molds, pipes, belts, chains, or other equipment, using hand tools, hand-powered press, or jib crane.
• Fills core boxes and mold patterns with sand or powders, using ramming tools or pneumatic hammers, and removes excess.
• Observes and records data from pyrometers, lights, and gauges to monitor molding process and adjust furnace temperature.
• Positions, aligns, and secures molds or core boxes in holding devices or under pouring spouts and tubes, using hand tools.
• Positions ladles or pourers and adjusts controls to regulate the flow of metal, sand, or coolant into mold.

The following job titles also refer to casting machine operator:

foundryman
ladleman
pourer and caster
ladleperson
caster
metal caster
foundry process operator
metal moulder
foundry operator
foundry worker
metal molder
mould casting worker
molding and casting worker m,f,n)
mold casting worker
moulding and casting worker m,f,n)

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as casting machine operator. However, many employers prefer candidates with at least a high school diploma.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Casting machine operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to casting machine operator.

foundry operative
coquille casting worker
foundry moulder
mouldmaker
blacksmith

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of casting machine operator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of casting machine operator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

metallurgical technician
metal furnace operator
welding inspector
gemmologist
metal production supervisor

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of casting machine operator.

• Non-ferrous metal processing: Various processing methods on non-ferrous metals and alloys such as copper, zinc and aluminium.
• Metal joining technologies: The various technologies used for the joining and assembling of fabricated metal workpieces.
• Alloys of precious metals: Types of material that consist of two or more metals or non-metals.
• Ferrous metal processing: Various processing methods on iron and iron-containing alloys such as steel, stainless steel and pig iron.
• Manufacturing of metal assembly products: The manufacture of rivets, washers and similar non-threaded products, screw machine products, screws, nuts and similar threaded products.
• Types of moulding: The characteristics and procedures used in the various types of moulding such as blow moulding, compression moulding, injection moulding and thermoforming.
• Casting processes: The various practices used in the casting of metal, plastics and other cast materials, including mould filling, solidification, cooling, and others, all relating to varying approaches in case of different types of material.

These skills are necessary for the role of casting machine operator.

• Attend to detail in casting processes: Attend in the metal processing casting work to specificities and details concerning the quality of the casting and moulds.
• Cast metal: Pour liquid metal into the hollow cavity of a mould, which contains the future product’s desired shape, place it into a furnace and then cool it and let it solidify.
• Assemble metal parts: Align and arrange steel and metal parts in order to assemble complete products; use the appropriate hand tools and gauges.
• Manipulate metal: Manipulate the properties, shape and size of metal.
• Remove finished casts: Open mould and safely remove the finished cast from within.
• Admit basic metals to furnace: Prepare and select the materials ready to furnace.
• Use tools for castings repair: Construct and repair castings and equipment using hand tools, machine tools, and measuring instruments. Safely carry out emergency or temporary repairs. Take measures to ensure a safe working environment.
• Fill moulds: Fill up moulds with appropriate materials and ingredient mixes.
• Measure metal to be heated: Measure the amounts of steel or other metals to be heated. Take decisions on the amount of heat to be used, the duration of the heating, and other variables in the process based on the measurement.
• Mix moulding and casting material: Measure and mix ingredients for casting and moulding materials, according to appropriate formula.
• Maintain mould parts: Carry out minor repair tasks and maintenance of moulds and mould parts.
• Extract products from moulds: Remove finished products from moulds and examine them in detail for anomalies.
• Heat metals: Heat steel and metals in fire; adjust and regulate heat controls to reach appropriate pouring temperature.
• Clean moulds: Clean the mould using water, grease or oil, washing and scraping them by hand.
• Ensure mould uniformity: Oversee uniformity of moulds. Use casting equipment and tools such as hand press.
• Fabricate metal parts: Fabricate metal parts, using equipment such as drill presses and engine lathes.
• Handle metal work orders: Interpret work orders in order to determine which metal parts should be produced.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of casting machine operator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Types of metal: Qualities, specifications, applications and reactions to different fabricating processes of various types of metal, such as steel, aluminium, brass, copper and others.
• Precious metal processing: Various processing methods on precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of casting machine operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Operate concrete casting machine: Operate the machine that casts concrete blocks, making sure the finished blocks are according to specifications.
• Monitor gauge: Oversee the data presented by a gauge concerning the measurement of pressure, temperature, thickness of a material, and others.
• Cast jewellery metal: Heat and melt jewellery materials; pour in moulds to cast jewellery models. Use jewellery-making material such as spanners, pliers or presses.
• Cast concrete sections: Cast tops and bottoms or other electrolytic cells concrete sections using power tools.
• Manage time in casting processes: Work on castings with the necessary sense of timing in regards to quality, for example when measuring how long moulds must rest before they are used in further casting processes.
• Operate metal heating equipment: Use heating machinery to bake filled-up moulds or to melt steel, metal and other materials.
• Communicate using non-verbal language: Communicate with colleagues using body language and other non-verbal cues in order to ensure effective communication during operations.
• Cast concrete rings: Cast concrete rings by impregnating them with molten tar so that they can be used in mercury cells.
• Cut metal products: Operate cutting and measuring instruments in order to cut/shape pieces of metal into given dimensions.
• Assess suitability of metal types for specific application: Assess the physical nature and structural composition of various metals and alloys, and analyse how the materials behave in different circumstances.
• Follow manufacturing work schedule: Follow the planning set up by manufacturing companies’ managers exactly to ensure one production process is not delayed due to another and they follow each other smoothly.

8121 – Metal processing plant operators

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References

1. ESCO
2. Metal Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Operator and Tender Job Description, Duties and Jobs – CareerPlanner.com
3. Featured image: By Provincial Archives of Alberta – https://www.flickr.com/photos/alberta_archives/27266548154/, No restrictions