Mouldmakers manually create moulds for the production of metal products. They mix sand and hardening materials to obtain a specialised mixture. They then use a pattern and one or more cores to produce the right shape impression in this material. The shaped material is then left to set, later to be used as a mould in the production of ferrous and non-ferrous metal castings.
Rate 5 of the 10 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
attend to detail in casting processes
construct moulds
select mould types
insert mould structures
maintain moulds
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (10)
attend to detail in casting processesattend to detail in casting processesAttend in the metal processing casting work to specificities and details concerning the quality of the casting and moulds.construct mouldsconstruct mouldsConstruct moulds for the casting of objects in plaster, clay, glass, plastic or metal. Use casting machines and materials such as rubber, plaster or fibreglass.select mould typesselect mould typesSelect the appropriate type and size of mould based on the operation.insert mould structuresinsert mould structuresInject molten raw material into a mould to solidify them using cooling systems.maintain mouldsmaintain mouldsMaintain, repair and clean moulds and mould parts, e.g. by smoothening out imperfections on the surface. Use water, grease or oil to wash and scrape the moulds by hand.fill mouldsfill mouldsFill up moulds with appropriate materials and ingredient mixes.move filled mouldsmove filled mouldsCorrectly replace filled-up moulds; understand how to load moulds into the oven and how to store filled-up moulds onto a rack.ensure mould uniformityensure mould uniformityOversee uniformity of moulds. Use casting equipment and tools such as hand press.provide pouring holes in mouldsprovide pouring holes in mouldsCut spouts, runner holes, and sprue holes into moulds.match product mouldsmatch product mouldsChanging moulds to match product specification. Run test samples and check for proper specifications.
Optional (17) — show
non-ferrous metal processingnon-ferrous metal processingVarious processing methods on non-ferrous metals and alloys such as copper, zinc and aluminium.ferrous metal processingferrous metal processingVarious processing methods on iron and iron-containing alloys such as steel, stainless steel and pig iron.jewellery processesjewellery processesMaterials and processes involved in creating jewellery items like earrings, necklaces, rings, brackets, etc.types of metal manufacturing processestypes of metal manufacturing processesMetal processes linked to the different types of metal, such as casting processes, heat treatment processes, repair processes and other metal manufacturing processes.manufacturing of jewellerymanufacturing of jewelleryThe manufacturing of different type of jewellery such as rings or necklaces out of various metal types such as silver, gold, diamond and other precious stones.precious metal processingprecious metal processingVarious processing methods on precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum.maintain coresmaintain coresClean and repair cores, e.g. by smoothing out imperfections on the surface.repair core defectsrepair core defectsRepair core malfunctions and damage, e.g. cracks or broken edges; use hand tools, core boxes and patterns.maintain core partsmaintain core partsCarry out minor repair tasks and maintenance of cores and core parts.manage time in casting processesmanage time in casting processesWork on castings with the necessary sense of timing in regards to quality, for example when measuring how long moulds must rest before they are used in further casting processes.ensure core uniformityensure core uniformityOversee uniformity of cores; use casting machinery and equipment and tools such as a hand press.coordinate mouldmaking shiftscoordinate mouldmaking shiftsManage coordination of all activities across each mouldmaking shift.mark processed workpiecemark processed workpieceInspect and mark parts of the workpiece to indicate how they will fit into the finished product.prepare scientific reportsprepare scientific reportsPrepare reports that describe results and processes of scientific or technical research, or assess its progress. These reports help researchers to keep up to date with recent findings.supervise worksupervise workDirect and supervise the day-to-day activities of subordinate personnel.insert reinforcement in mouldinsert reinforcement in mouldInsert chaplets and other kinds of reinforcing steel structures to a mould in order to fix different parts.follow manufacturing work schedulefollow manufacturing work scheduleFollow the planning set up by manufacturing companies' managers exactly to ensure one production process is not delayed due to another and they follow each other smoothly.
Related Occupations
Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.
Mouldmakers manually create moulds for the production of metal products. They mix sand and hardening materials to obtain a specialised mixture. They then use a pattern and one or more cores to produce the right shape impression in this material. The shaped material is then left to set, later to be used as a mould in the production of ferrous and non-ferrous metal castings.
What skills does a mouldmaker need?
A mouldmaker needs 10 essential skills, including attend to detail in casting processes, construct moulds, select mould types, insert mould structures, maintain moulds.
Will AI replace mouldmaker jobs?
The AI disruption score for mouldmaker is 33/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: insert mould structures, mark processed workpiece, follow manufacturing work schedule. Most resilient: maintain core parts, construct moulds, provide pouring holes in moulds.