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Pourers and Casters, Metal

The occupation Pourers and Casters, Metal covers people who operate hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on operations monitoring, operation and control, and monitoring. The job can ask you to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds and forms to produce ingots or other castings, using ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms. On the six-type interest model it reads RCI, meaning hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world comes first, followed by orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. It tends to suit people who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, and it offers little for anyone seeking leading, persuading and making business decisions.

What they do

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

Main tasks

  • Pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds and forms to produce ingots or other castings, using ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms.
  • Read temperature gauges and observe color changes, adjusting furnace flames, torches, or electrical heating units as necessary to melt metal to specifications.
  • Remove solidified steel or slag from pouring nozzles, using long bars or oxygen burners.
  • Examine molds to ensure they are clean, smooth, and properly coated.
  • Collect samples, or signal workers to sample metal for analysis.
  • Load specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles.

Skills

  • Operations Monitoring
  • Operation and Control
  • Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Listening

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on operations monitoring and operation and control.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCI takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Caster
  • Casting Machine Operator
  • Casting Operator
  • DC Caster (Direct Chill Caster)
  • Die Cast Machine Operator

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.