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Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in West Virginia
Considering working as a Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in West Virginia? Here’s what you need to know. Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
What do Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Make in West Virginia?
For molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic working in West Virginia, the median annual wage is $40,710 per year (or roughly $19.57/hour).Pay can range from $33,400 at the 10th percentile to $60,220 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,400 | $16.06 |
| 25th percentile | $38,340 | $18.44 |
| Median (50th) | $40,710 | $19.57 |
| 75th percentile | $54,010 | $25.97 |
| 90th percentile | $60,220 | $28.95 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in West Virginia compared to the national average — is 0.80, meaning fewer molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn a median of $60,853 per year ($29.26/hour), below the West Virginia median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 211,132 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic nationwide. In West Virginia alone, approximately 560 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 1,820 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic.
Top West Virginia Metros for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
The largest metro-area employers of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in West Virginia.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 80 | $38,500 |
Top States for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Employment
These states have the highest employment of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Illinois | 13,180 |
| Michigan | 12,920 |
| Ohio | 12,710 |
| California | 9,650 |
| Wisconsin | 9,320 |
| Indiana | 8,430 |
| Texas | 7,750 |
| North Carolina | 7,410 |
| Pennsylvania | 6,890 |
| Alabama | 6,200 |
| Kentucky | 4,740 |
| Massachusetts | 4,080 |
| Missouri | 3,960 |
| New York | 3,390 |
| Tennessee | 3,090 |
| New Jersey | 3,030 |
| Minnesota | 2,840 |
| Utah | 2,830 |
| South Carolina | 2,800 |
| Georgia | 2,790 |
Highest-Paying States for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
These states pay the most for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $70,390 |
| Maine | $59,050 |
| Nevada | $52,900 |
| Colorado | $51,900 |
| Maryland | $50,990 |
| Washington | $47,640 |
| Minnesota | $47,110 |
| Delaware | $46,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,300 |
| Utah | $45,820 |
Skills
The most important molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic typically:
- 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.
- Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools.
- Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished.
- Perform maintenance work such as cleaning and oiling machines.
- Smooth and clean inner surfaces of molds, using brushes, scrapers, air hoses, or grinding wheels, and fill imperfections with refractory material.
- Operate hoists to position dies or patterns on foundry floors.
- Cool products after processing to prevent distortion.
Work Activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Getting Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel
Related Careers
Related occupations to molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic include:
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Also Known As
Aluminum Molder, Aluminum Molding Machine Operator, Automatic Casting Machine Operator, Babbitt Spinner, Babbitter, Bench Molder, Bender Machine Operator, Bit Bender, Blaster, Blow Mold Operator, Blow Molding Machine Tender, Blow Molding Operator, Bonding Machine Operator, Brake Drum Molder, Brass Molder.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 51-4072.00