Molding Machine Operator

Key Responsibilities

• Spray, smoke, or coat molds with compounds to lubricate or insulate molds, using acetylene torches or sprayers.
• Pour or load metal or sand into melting pots, furnaces, molds, or hoppers, using shovels, ladles, or machines.
• Perform maintenance work such as cleaning and oiling machines.
• Smooth and clean inner surfaces of molds, using brushes, scrapers, air hoses, or grinding wheels, and fill imperfections with refractory material.
• Skim or pour dross, slag, or impurities from molten metal, using ladles, rakes, hoes, spatulas, or spoons.
• Inventory and record quantities of materials and finished products, requisitioning additional supplies as necessary.
• Repair or replace damaged molds, pipes, belts, chains, or other equipment, using hand tools, hand-powered presses, or jib cranes.
• Obtain and move specified patterns to work stations, manually or using hoists, and secure patterns to machines, using wrenches.
• Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools.
• Trim excess material from parts, using knives, and grind scrap plastic into powder for reuse.
• Operate hoists to position dies or patterns on foundry floors.
• Preheat tools, dies, plastic materials, or patterns, using blowtorches or other equipment.
• Select and install blades, tools, or other attachments for each operation.
• 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.
• Cool products after processing to prevent distortion.
• Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times.
• Remove finished or cured products from dies or molds, using hand tools, air hoses, and other equipment, stamping identifying information on products when necessary.
• Adjust equipment and workpiece holding fixtures, such as mold frames, tubs, and cutting tables, to ensure proper functioning.
• Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary.
• Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
• Mix and measure compounds, or weigh premixed compounds, and dump them into machine tubs, cavities, or molds.
• Select coolants and lubricants, and start their flow.
• Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times.
• Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished.
• Position and secure workpieces on machines, and start feeding mechanisms.
• Maintain inventories of materials.
• Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
• Install dies onto machines or presses and coat dies with parting agents, according to work order specifications.
• Unload finished products from conveyor belts, pack them in containers, and place containers in warehouses.