Pourers and Casters, Metal

Tasks

Core Tasks Include:

• Collect samples, or signal workers to sample metal for analysis.
• 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; then adjust furnace flames, torches, or electrical heating units as necessary to melt metal to specifications.
• Examine molds to ensure they are clean, smooth, and properly coated.
• Position equipment such as ladles, grinding wheels, pouring nozzles, or crucibles, or signal other workers to position equipment.
• Skim slag or remove excess metal from ingots or equipment, using hand tools, strainers, rakes, or burners; collect scrap for recycling.

Supplemental Tasks Include:

• Turn valves to circulate water through cores, or spray water on filled molds to cool and solidify metal.
• Add metal to molds to compensate for shrinkage.
• Pull levers to lift ladle stoppers and to allow molten steel to flow into ingot molds to specified heights.
• Load specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles.
• Remove solidified steel or slag from pouring nozzles, using long bars or oxygen burners.
• Assemble and embed cores in casting frames, using hand tools and equipment.
• Remove metal ingots or cores from molds, using hand tools, cranes, and chain hoists.
• Transport metal ingots to storage areas, using forklifts.
• Stencil identifying information on ingots and pigs, using special hand tools.
• Repair and maintain metal forms and equipment, using hand tools, sledges, and bars.

The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™ 16.0.