Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Occupation · SOC 51-4072.00
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
Also called: Machine Operator · Molder · Process Technician · Production Technician · Core Machine Operator · Die Cast Technician · Diecast Machine Operator · Mold Setter · Mold Technician · Aluminum Molder · Aluminum Molding Machine Operator · Automatic Casting Machine Operator
Job family: Production Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-51-4072-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- Declining employment outlook (-3.8% by 2034)
- 15,900 openings/yr
- Low AI exposure
- Median pay $41,230/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- 2013 flagged this for computerization (89th); today's AI task-overlap is comparatively low (14th)
14th-percentile task overlap — yet about 15,900 openings a year (-3.8% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Low | 13th | -1.1 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low | 19th | 0.1 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low | 18th | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.1), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.1). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Mixed signals. Today's AI/LLM studies show relatively low exposure for this job, but the older (2013) Frey–Osborne work rated it higher for computerization and robotics. Different eras, different technologies — the AI measures above reflect the current state.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.9 · 89th percentile among occupations · High
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | Declining · -3.8% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 15,900 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 154,600 → 148,800 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international 2 occupations below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at the 19th percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
15% mean task exposure (2025)
19th percentile of 427 placed occupations
−0 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic Products Machine Operators · 8142 | 18% | Not exposed |
| Metal Moulders and Coremakers · 7211 | 13% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 33 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments. Core · importance 4.5
- Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary. Core · importance 4.4
- Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products. Core · importance 4.3
- Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times. Core · importance 4.2
- Read specifications, blueprints, and work orders to determine setups, temperatures, and time settings required to mold, form, or cast plastic materials, as well as to plan production sequences. Core · importance 4.1
- Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times. Core · importance 4.0
- Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools. Core · importance 3.9
- Cool products after processing to prevent distortion. Supplemental · importance 3.9
- Operate hoists to position dies or patterns on foundry floors. Supplemental · importance 3.9
- Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished. Core · importance 3.9
- Install dies onto machines or presses and coat dies with parting agents, according to work order specifications. Supplemental · importance 3.8
- Unload finished products from conveyor belts, pack them in containers, and place containers in warehouses. Supplemental · importance 3.8
- Perform maintenance work such as cleaning and oiling machines. Core · importance 3.7
- Obtain and move specified patterns to work stations, manually or using hoists, and secure patterns to machines, using wrenches. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Remove finished or cured products from dies or molds, using hand tools, air hoses, and other equipment, stamping identifying information on products when necessary. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Inventory and record quantities of materials and finished products, requisitioning additional supplies as necessary. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Repair or replace damaged molds, pipes, belts, chains, or other equipment, using hand tools, hand-powered presses, or jib cranes. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Select and install blades, tools, or other attachments for each operation. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Select coolants and lubricants, and start their flow. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Adjust equipment and workpiece holding fixtures, such as mold frames, tubs, and cutting tables, to ensure proper functioning. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Maintain inventories of materials. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Position and secure workpieces on machines, and start feeding mechanisms. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Trim excess material from parts, using knives, and grind scrap plastic into powder for reuse. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Smooth and clean inner surfaces of molds, using brushes, scrapers, air hoses, or grinding wheels, and fill imperfections with refractory material. Core · importance 3.6
- Mix and measure compounds, or weigh premixed compounds, and dump them into machine tubs, cavities, or molds. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Spray, smoke, or coat molds with compounds to lubricate or insulate molds, using acetylene torches or sprayers. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Preheat tools, dies, plastic materials, or patterns, using blowtorches or other equipment. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Pour or load metal or sand into melting pots, furnaces, molds, or hoppers, using shovels, ladles, or machines. Supplemental · importance 3.4
- Skim or pour dross, slag, or impurities from molten metal, using ladles, rakes, hoes, spatulas, or spoons. Supplemental · importance 3.1
- Assemble shell halves, patterns, and foundry flasks, and reinforce core boxes, using glue, clamps, wire, bolts, rams, or machines. Supplemental
- Clamp metal and plywood strips around dies or patterns to form molds. Supplemental
- Pull level and toggle latches to fill molds, to regulate tension on sheeting, and to release mold covers. Supplemental
- Shape molds to specified contours, using sand, and trowels and related tools. Supplemental
Work activities
- Monitor equipment operation to ensure that products are not flawed.
- Inspect metal, plastic, or composite products.
- Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
- Operate metal or plastic forming equipment.
- Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
- Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment.
- Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information.
- Remove workpieces from molds.
- Skim impurities from molten metal.
- Trim excess material from workpieces.
- Operate grinding equipment.
- Apply lubricants or coolants to workpieces.
- Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
- Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.
- Mix substances to create chemical solutions.
- Load materials into production equipment.
- Monitor instruments to ensure proper production conditions.
- Apply parting agents or other solutions to molds.
- Study blueprints or other instructions to determine equipment setup requirements.
- Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
- Set equipment guides, stops, spacers, or other fixtures.
- Remove accessories, tools, or other parts from equipment.
- Record operational or production data.
- Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
- Place materials into molds.
- Load items into ovens or furnaces.
- Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
- Package products for storage or shipment.
- Connect supply lines to production equipment or tools.
- Heat material or workpieces to prepare for or complete production.
- Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
- Clean production equipment.
- Smooth metal surfaces or edges.
- Fill cracks, imperfections, or holes in products or workpieces.
- Move products, materials, or equipment between work areas.
- Maintain production or processing equipment.
- Lubricate production equipment.
- Repair templates, patterns, or molds.
- Replace worn equipment components.
- Select production input materials.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Abilities
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.8 | |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.6 | |
| Control Precision | 3.4 | |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.4 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.3 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.3 | |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.3 | |
| Near Vision | 3.3 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.1 | |
| Written Comprehension | 3.1 | |
| Oral Expression | 3.1 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.1 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.1 | |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.1 | |
| Rate Control | 3.1 | |
| Reaction Time | 3.1 | |
| Static Strength | 3.1 | |
| Trunk Strength | 3.1 | |
| Speech Clarity | 3.1 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.0 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.0 | |
| Visualization | 3.0 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.0 | |
| Auditory Attention | 3.0 | |
| Speech Recognition | 3.0 |
Knowledge
| Production and Processing | 3.5 | |
| Mechanical | 3.5 | |
| Mathematics | 3.1 |
Transferable skills
| Operations Monitoring | 3.4 | |
| Operation and Control | 3.1 | |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 | |
| Time Management | 3.0 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 | |
| Troubleshooting | 2.9 |
Essential skills
| Active Listening | 3.3 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | |
| Speaking | 3.0 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 | |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
| Example | Category | |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | Hot technology |
| SAP software | Enterprise resource planning ERP software | Hot technology |
| FANUC Robotics iRVision | Industrial control software | |
| HotFlo! Die-Shot Monitor | Analytical or scientific software | |
| Intera Systems Hawk-i | Computer aided manufacturing CAM software | |
| RobotWare DieCast | Computer aided manufacturing CAM software | |
| Visi-Trak True-Trak 20/20 | Computer aided manufacturing CAM software |
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Preparation level
- SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| High School Diploma | 57.0% | |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 30.3% | |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 11.2% | |
| Some College Courses | 1.6% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 7.0 | |
| Conventional | 4.3 | |
| Investigative | 2.3 | |
| Artistic | 1.4 |
Interest areas
| Physical/Manual Labor | 4.1 | |
| Mechanics/Electronics | 3.5 | |
| Engineering | 3.0 | |
| Transportation/Machine Operation | 2.0 | |
| Mathematics/Statistics | 1.8 | |
| Construction/Woodwork | 1.6 | |
| Physical Science | 1.6 | |
| Information Technology | 1.2 | |
| Accounting | 1.2 |
Work styles
| Attention to Detail | 2.4 | |
| Dependability | 2.2 | |
| Cautiousness | 1.9 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $31,990 |
| 25th percentile | $36,290 |
| Median (50th) | $41,230 |
| 75th percentile | $49,100 |
| 90th percentile | $60,110 |
| People employed | 154,820 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing · Sector | 139,410 | $42,790 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 1,550 | $41,020 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 470 | $45,300 |
| Engineering Services · National industry | 440 | $45,290 |
| Machine Shops · National industry | 360 | $37,540 |
| Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing · National industry | 230 | $39,720 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 100 | $53,000 |
| Construction · Sector | 80 | $46,090 |
| Retail Trade · Sector | 80 | $35,120 |
| Transportation and Warehousing · Sector | 60 | $35,610 |
| Sporting Goods Retailers · National industry | 50 | $64,930 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 40 | $50,620 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing · National industry | 11.5× | 230 |
| Manufacturing · Sector | 10.88× | 139,410 |
| Machine Shops · National industry | 1.38× | 360 |
| Engineering Services · National industry | 0.38× | 440 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 0.26× | 1,550 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 0.04× | 470 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 0.04× | 100 |
Related occupations
Part of the Advanced Manufacturing career cluster.
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4021.00 Compare →
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic · 51-9195.00 Compare →
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers · 51-6091.00 Compare →
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-9041.00 Compare →
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4081.00 Compare →
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4022.00 Compare →
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4031.00 Compare →
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4023.00 Compare →
- Tool and Die Makers · 51-4111.00 Compare →
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4191.00 Compare →
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4033.00 Compare →
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders · 51-9191.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Compare →
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Compare →
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers Compare →
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Compare →
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Compare →
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed · preparation tier
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 19th percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic show 14th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 15,900 annual U.S. openings
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic rank in the 14th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 15,900 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be declining (-3.8%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $41,230, across about 154,820 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic show 14th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 15,900 annual U.S. openings • Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic rank in the 14th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 15,900 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be declining (-3.8%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $41,230, across about 154,820 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4072-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4072-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4072-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-51-4072-00,
title = {Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4072-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.