DesignISCO 7314
Pottery and porcelain caster
Pottery and porcelain casters fill moulds with clay to cast pottery and porcelain wares. They pour excess slip out of the mould when needed, drain moulds, remove the cast from the mould, smooth the casting surfaces to remove marks and place the castings on boards to dry.
Check yourself in a minute: pottery and porcelain caster
Rate 5 of the 12 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
inspect quality of products
troubleshoot
tend jigger machines
tend pug mills
conform with clay thickness
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (12)
materials in porcelain manufacturingmaterials in porcelain manufacturingCharacteristics and properties of the different raw materials such as china clay, ball clay, alumina, flint and feldspar used for the production of household ware and decorative items.materials used in stoneware manufacturingmaterials used in stoneware manufacturingCharacteristics and properties of the different materials used in the production of the vitreous ceramic made of stoneware clay, or in some cases of non-refractory fire-clay.types of pottery materialtypes of pottery materialTypes of clays and mud and their appearance, properties, reaction to fire, etc.inspect quality of productsinspect quality of productsUse various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.troubleshoottroubleshootIdentify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.tend jigger machinestend jigger machinesTend the jigger machine in order to obtain the specified ceramic endproducts such as bowls, plates or cups.tend pug millstend pug millsTend the pug mill by adjusting the controls in order to mix, extrude or deposit the clay charges according to specifications.conform with clay thicknessconform with clay thicknessConform with the specified clay thickness by pouring the excess slip from moulds while watching the clay level through the mould opening.use personal protection equipmentuse personal protection equipmentMake use of protection equipment according to training, instruction and manuals. Inspect the equipment and use it consistently.monitor automated machinesmonitor automated machinesContinuously check up on the automated machine's set-up and execution or make regular control rounds. If necessary, record and interpret data on the operating conditions of installations and equipment...extract products from mouldsextract products from mouldsRemove finished products from moulds and examine them in detail for anomalies.set up the controller of a machineset up the controller of a machineSet up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.
Optional (28) — show
ceramic wareceramic wareThe production process and characteristics of various types of ceramic ware such as pottery, whiteware, stoneware, chinaware, porcelain or earthenware.ceramics glazesceramics glazesThe characteristics, compounds and application of different glaze types such as raw or frit glazes.casting processescasting processesThe various practices used in the casting of metal, plastics and other cast materials, including mould filling, solidification, cooling, and others, all relating to varying approaches in case of diffe...alumina ceramicalumina ceramicAluminium oxide, also called alumina, is a ceramic material made of oxygen and aluminium which has many properties suitable for insulation purposes such as hardness, low electrical conductivity and in...handle different pottery materialshandle different pottery materialsTreat different recipes of clay and mud according to the genre (such as china) or the expected strength, look, colour, tradition or innovation in the creative process.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.work ergonomicallywork ergonomicallyApply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.record production data for quality controlrecord production data for quality controlKeep records of the machine's faults, interventions and irregularities for quality control.operate forkliftoperate forkliftOperate a forklift, a vehicle with a pronged device in front for lifting and carrying heavy loads.monitor stock levelmonitor stock levelEvaluate how much stock is used and determine what should be ordered.extract materials from furnaceextract materials from furnaceRemove materials from the furnace using a crane, a conveyor, by tilting the furnace, or using other methods.perform green machiningperform green machiningFinish the shaping process of ceramics after forming by performing several green machining operations such as grinding, blanking and punching.fill mouldsfill mouldsFill up moulds with appropriate materials and ingredient mixes.load materials into furnaceload materials into furnaceLoad materials in furnace with correct positioning, fastening and levelling when needed.monitor conveyor beltmonitor conveyor beltMonitor the flow of the work pieces on the conveyor belt as they are processed by the machine to ensure optimal productivity.perform machine maintenanceperform machine maintenancePerform regular maintenance, possibly including corrections and alterations, on a machine or machine tool to ensure it remains in a proper productive state.operate drying blowersoperate drying blowersOperate the portable air and heat blowers by placing them in the drying aisles in order to dry specific products.form moulding mixtureform moulding mixtureForm the moulding mixture adding specified amounts of materials, such as sand, clay, silica mud or plastic pellets, according to a fixed recipe, set up the controller of the melting tanks and monitor ...report defective manufacturing materialsreport defective manufacturing materialsMaintain required company records and forms in order to report any defective materials or questionable conditions of manufacturing machinery and equipment.apply glaze coatingapply glaze coatingDip the products into a specific glaze coating that will make them waterproof and fix the decorative patterns and colours after the firing process.check quality of raw materialscheck quality of raw materialsCheck the quality of basic materials used for the production of semi-finished and finished goods by assessing some of its characteristics and, if needed, select samples to be analysed.polish clay productspolish clay productsUse abrasives to smoothen the surface of clay products such as sculptures, dolls and models working with sanding papers, manual or power tools.monitor end-product drying processmonitor end-product drying processLet the end-products to cool and dry during the correct amount of time. If necessary, hasten the drying process using kilns or delay it by allowing water to humidify the products.operate a ceramics kilnoperate a ceramics kilnManage the temperature of a kiln to achieve the expected results according to the type of clay such as biscuit stoneware or porcelain. Manage sintering and enamels colours.keep records of work progresskeep records of work progressMaintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.pack fragile items for transportationpack fragile items for transportationPack fragile items such as glass panes or glass objects using the appropriate boxes and cushioning materials such as air-encapsulated plastic or customised foam enclosures to make sure the content wil...prepare production prototypesprepare production prototypesPrepare early models or prototypes in order to test concepts and replicability possibilities. Create prototypes to assess for pre-production tests.tend tumbling machinetend tumbling machineTend a machine designed to smoothen metal or stone surfaces by having the different pieces rub against each other inside a tumbling barrel, monitor and operate it according to regulations.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a pottery and porcelain caster do?
Pottery and porcelain casters fill moulds with clay to cast pottery and porcelain wares. They pour excess slip out of the mould when needed, drain moulds, remove the cast from the mould, smooth the casting surfaces to remove marks and place the castings on boards to dry.
What skills does a pottery and porcelain caster need?
A pottery and porcelain caster needs 12 essential skills, including materials in porcelain manufacturing, materials used in stoneware manufacturing, types of pottery material, inspect quality of products, troubleshoot.
Will AI replace pottery and porcelain caster jobs?
The AI disruption score for pottery and porcelain caster is 46/100 (moderate risk). Skills most exposed to automation: record production data for quality control, monitor stock level, monitor automated machines. Most resilient: construct moulds, form moulding mixture, handle different pottery materials.
AI Replacement Risk
46/ 100
Moderate Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Quick Facts
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