# Foundry Mold and Coremakers

> Make or form wax or sand cores or molds used in the production of metal castings in foundries.

- **SOC code:** 51-4071.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4071-00
- **Also known as:** Core Machine Operator, Core Maker, Coremaker, Molder, Core Stripper, Green Sand Molder, Mold Maker, Mold Operator
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Clean and smooth molds, cores, and core boxes, and repair surface imperfections.
- Position patterns inside mold sections, and clamp sections together.
- Position cores into lower sections of molds, and reassemble molds for pouring.
- Sift and pack sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools.
- Tend machines that bond cope and drag together to form completed shell molds.
- Sprinkle or spray parting agents onto patterns and mold sections to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.
- Form and assemble slab cores around patterns, and position wire in mold sections to reinforce molds, using hand tools and glue.
- Move and position workpieces, such as mold sections, patterns, and bottom boards, using cranes, or signal others to move workpieces.
- Rotate sweep boards around spindles to make symmetrical molds for convex impressions.
- Pour molten metal into molds, manually or with crane ladles.
- Operate ovens or furnaces to bake cores or to melt, skim, and flux metal.
- Lift upper mold sections from lower sections, and remove molded patterns.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Trunk Strength _(ability)_
- Manual Dexterity _(ability)_
- Arm-Hand Steadiness _(ability)_
- Static Strength _(ability)_
- English Language _(knowledge)_
- Finger Dexterity _(ability)_
- Mechanical _(knowledge)_
- Production and Processing _(knowledge)_
- Education and Training _(knowledge)_
- Multilimb Coordination _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Administration and Management _(knowledge)_

**Skills in demand:**
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Finger Dexterity _(Common Skill)_
- Physics _(Specialized Skill)_
- Visualization _(Specialized Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Chemistry _(Specialized Skill)_
- Time Management _(Common Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Speech Recognition _(Specialized Skill)_
- Mathematics _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Autodesk AutoCAD _(hot technology)_
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks _(hot technology)_
- CNC Software Mastercam
- Inventory tracking software
- Machine control software
- PTC Creo Parametric

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 0th percentile (Low) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 3rd percentile (Low) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 3rd percentile (Low) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 0th percentile (Low) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 56th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** -25.9% growth (Declining); 0.9k annual openings; 12.7k → 9.4k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $45,700; 12,720 employed.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4071-00_