Career Overview
Operate hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots.
Also Known As
- Caster
- Melter
- Metal Handler
- Pourer
Alternate Job Titles
- Aluminum Pourer
- Billet Header
- Brass Pourer
- Buggy Ladle Tender
- Bull Ladle Tender
- Busher
- Caster
- Casting Machine Operator
- Casting Operator
- DC Caster (Direct Chill Caster)
- DCO (Die Cast Operator)
- Die Cast Machine Operator
- Die Casting Machine Operator
- Header
- Ingot Caster
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- Position equipment such as ladles, grinding wheels, pouring nozzles, or crucibles, or signal other workers to position equipment.
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Manual Dexterity
- Control Precision
- Multilimb Coordination
- Perceptual Speed
- Reaction Time
- Near Vision
- Oral Comprehension
- Category Flexibility
- Selective Attention
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Cautiousness
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Stress Tolerance
- Self-Control
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Relationships
- Independence
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Acetylene torches
- Automatic extractors
- Automatic ladles
- Bandsaws
- Chain falls
- Cold chamber die casting machines
- Coordinate measuring machines CMM
- Deburring tools
- Depth gauges
- Dross hoes
- Electric arc furnaces
- Electric overhead transfer EOT cranes
- Electric tilt furnaces
- Foundry molds
- Foundry tongs
Work Environment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
- Spend Time Standing
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $37,250 |
| Median | $48,940 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $68,030 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 5,830
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $45,690
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $48,630
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $49,240
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $41,690
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $41,230
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.