What Do Foundry Mold and Coremakers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Foundry Mold and Coremakers make or form wax or sand cores or molds used in the production of metal castings in foundries. They also sift and pack sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools.

Other tasks include:

• Clean and smooth molds, cores, and core boxes, and repair surface imperfections.
• Position cores into lower sections of molds, and reassemble molds for pouring.
• Tend machines that bond cope and drag together to form completed shell molds.
• Form and assemble slab cores around patterns, and position wire in mold sections to reinforce molds, using hand tools and glue.
• Cut spouts, runner holes, and sprue holes into molds.
• Operate ovens or furnaces to bake cores or to melt, skim, and flux metal.

We asked Foundry Mold and Coremakers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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49% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 41% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Foundry Mold and Coremakers rotate sweep boards around spindles to make symmetrical molds for convex impressions. They lift upper mold sections from lower sections, and remove molded patterns.

A typical day for a Foundry Mold and Coremaker will also include:

• Operate ovens or furnaces to bake cores or to melt, skim, and flux metal.
• Pour molten metal into molds, manually or with crane ladles.
• Sift and pack sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools.
• Position patterns inside mold sections, and clamp sections together.
• Sprinkle or spray parting agents onto patterns and mold sections to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.

We asked some Foundry Mold and Coremakers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	10% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	55% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	70% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	71% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Foundry Mold and Coremakers also cut spouts, runner holes, and sprue holes into molds. They may also form and assemble slab cores around patterns, and position wire in mold sections to reinforce molds, using hand tools and glue.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Foundry Mold and Coremakers Rotate sweep boards around spindles to make symmetrical molds for convex impressions. They might also Position cores into lower sections of molds, and reassemble molds for pouring.

In addition, they Sift and pack sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Lift upper mold sections from lower sections, and remove molded patterns.

To some Foundry Mold and Coremakers, it is also their responsibility to Position patterns inside mold sections, and clamp sections together.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Foundry Mold and Coremaker, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/production/metal-and-plastic-machine-workers.htm

http://www.fmanet.org/

http://www.amtonline.org/

http://www.ntma.org/