Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Also called: Aluminum Molder, Aluminum Molding Machine Operator, Automatic Casting Machine Operator, Babbitt Spinner, Babbitter, Bench Molder, Bender Machine Operator, Bit Bender
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
What Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic do
Typical tasks
- Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
- 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.
- Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times.
- 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.
- Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times.
- Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools.
- Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished.
- 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.
- Operate hoists to position dies or patterns on foundry floors.
- Cool products after processing to prevent distortion.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary
The median annual wage for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $44,350 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $34,170 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $61,600. The mean annual wage is $45,960.
The mean hourly wage of $22.00 is 3.0× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $44,350 → in 3 years $48,100 → in 5 years $50,800 → in 10 years $58,200 (10-year range $50,100–$67,600). The model assumes pay growth of +2.8% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic United States | プラスチック成形 Japan | 鋳造工/鋳造設備オペレーター Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $44,350 | ¥4.58M ≈ $29,141 | ¥5.07M ≈ $32,273 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $58,200 | ¥5.67M | ¥6.48M |
| Outlook score | 37 | 48 | 52 |
| AI replacement risk | 33% Low | 63% High | 44% Moderate |
| Workers | 150K | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.