About This Career

Operates hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots.

This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Production pathway.

A person in this career:

• Examines molds to ensure they are clean, smooth, and properly coated.
• Pours and regulates the flow of molten metal into molds and forms to produce ingots or other castings, using ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms.
• Pulls levers to lift ladle stoppers and to allow molten steel to flow into ingot molds to specified heights.
• Reads temperature gauges and observes color changes, adjusting furnace flames, torches, or electrical heating units as necessary to melt metal to specifications.
• Collects samples, or signals workers to sample metal for analysis.
• Loads specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles.
• Adds metal to molds to compensate for shrinkage.
• Skims slag or removes excess metal from ingots or equipment, using hand tools, strainers, rakes, or burners, collecting scrap for recycling.
• Removes metal ingots or cores from molds, using hand tools, cranes, and chain hoists.
• Positions equipment such as ladles, grinding wheels, pouring nozzles, or crucibles, or signal other workers to position equipment.

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):

• Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
• 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

• Regular working hours and limited travel