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:

• Sifts and packs sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools.
• Cleans and smooths molds, cores, and core boxes, and repairs surface imperfections.
• 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.
• Sprinkles or sprays parting agents onto patterns and mold sections to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.
• Positions cores into lower sections of molds, and reassembles molds for pouring.
• Tends machines that bond cope and drag together to form completed shell molds.
• Cuts spouts, runner holes, and sprue holes into molds.
• Operates ovens or furnaces to bake cores or to melt, skim, and flux metal.
• Positions patterns inside mold sections, and clamps sections together.

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 bending or twisting your body more than one-third of the time
• 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
• 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
• Using muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring
• Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching
• Seeing clearly up close
• Exerting oneself physically over long periods of time without getting out of breath
• Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying objects
• Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

• Rotating shift work