Make or form wax or sand cores or molds used in the production of metal castings in foundries.
U.S. Workers
12,720
Median Salary
$45,700
10-Year Growth
-25.9%
Annual Openings
900
Typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
13 of 13 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Tend machines that bond cope and drag together to form completed shell molds.
AI: Fully automatable - Tending shell-molding machines is commonly automated with PLCs, robotic tenders, and monitoring systems that AI can control and supervise in production environments.
Cut spouts, runner holes, and sprue holes into molds.
AI: Fully automatable - CNC and robotic gating/drilling systems can reliably cut spouts, runner holes, and sprue holes to spec in modern foundries.
Lift upper mold sections from lower sections and remove molded patterns.
AI: Fully automatable - Demolding and lifting are commonly automated with gantries, robots, and hoists in production lines, allowing reliable removal of upper mold sections and patterns.
Sprinkle or spray parting agents onto patterns and mold sections to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.
AI: Fully automatable - Spraying or applying parting agents is a repetitive, well-understood process that is readily automated with spray systems and robotic applicators.
Rotate sweep boards around spindles to make symmetrical molds for convex impressions.
AI: Fully automatable - Rotating sweep boards is a deterministic, motorized motion that is straightforward to automate with servos and CNC controllers.
Pour molten metal into molds, manually or using crane ladles.
AI: Fully automatable - Automated ladle cranes and robotic pouring systems with sensors and control logic are widely used and can perform molten-metal pouring tasks safely and precisely.
Sift and pack sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools.
AI: Partial - Automated molding machines can perform sand packing in high-volume settings, but manual hand or pneumatic ramming remains common for custom or complex molds.
Clean and smooth molds, cores, and core boxes, and repair surface imperfections.
AI: Partial - Robotic deburring and finishing handle repetitive smoothing tasks, but nuanced cleaning, surface repair, and judgment-based fixes typically need human dexterity and inspection.
Position cores into lower sections of molds, and reassemble molds for pouring.
AI: Partial - Core setting and mold reassembly can be automated in specialized, high-volume lines, but variability and precision requirements make many real-world cases still dependent on human workers.
Form and assemble slab cores around patterns and position wire in mold sections to reinforce molds, using hand tools and glue.
AI: Partial - Forming and assembling slab cores and placing reinforcing wire involve fine, variable manual manipulation and adhesive work that is only partially automatable.
Operate ovens or furnaces to bake cores or to melt, skim, and flux metal.
AI: Partial - Automated control systems handle temperature and basic melt cycles, but tasks like skimming, fluxing, and ad hoc interventions still commonly require human judgment and manual actions.
Move and position workpieces, such as mold sections, patterns, and bottom boards, using cranes, or signal others to move workpieces.
AI: Partial - Automated cranes and material-handling systems can move and position heavy workpieces, but ad hoc signaling, coordination, and nonstandard placements still often require human intervention.
Position patterns inside mold sections and clamp sections together.
AI: Partial - Robotic fixturing can position and clamp repeatable patterns, but variable pattern shapes, alignment tolerances, and changeovers often need human setup and oversight.