Moulding machine operator
Also known as: injection moulding machine operator, moulding machine operators, machine moulding worker, mold maintenance technician, molding machine operator
About this occupation
Moulding machine operators operate machines that are part of the production process of moulds for the manufacturing of castings or other moulded materials. They tend the mouldmaking machines that use the appropriate materials such as sand, plastics, or ceramics to obtain the moulding material. They may 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 moulded products such as ferrous and non-ferrous metal castings.
Essential skills and knowledge
- provide pouring holes in moulds
- construct moulds
- tend mouldmaking machines
- move filled moulds
- maintain moulds
- repair mould defects
- match product moulds
- insert mould structures
- ensure mould uniformity
- fill moulds
- select mould types
- set up machine controls
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (O*NET 51-4072.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
- Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary.
- Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
- Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times.
- Read specifications, blueprints, and work orders to determine setups, temperatures, and time settings required to mold, form, or cast plastic materials, as well as to plan production sequences.
- Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Operations Monitoring, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Monitoring, Operation and Control, Speaking
US median pay: US$44,350 a year (2025), 150,470 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalImportant (3.5)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Tool and Die Makers
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.