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What Do Tool and Die Maker Do?
Example of Tool & Die Maker Job Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists’ hand tools.
A Day in the Life of a Tool & Die Maker
- File, grind, shim, and adjust different parts to properly fit them together.
- Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies.
- Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications.
- Develop and design new tools and dies, using computer-aided design software.
- Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools and hand tools.
- Set pyrometer controls of heat-treating furnaces and feed or place parts, tools, or assemblies into furnaces to harden.
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Skills Needed to be a Tool & Die Maker
Tool and Die Makers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Equipment Selection: Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Related Job Titles
- Gage Maker
- Tool Trouble Shooter
- Tool Mechanic
- Die Designer
- Tool and Die Machinist
Job Outlook for Tool and Die Makers
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 72,500 jobs in the United States for Tool and Die Maker. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Tool and Die Maker. The BLS estimates 6,000 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Tool & Die Maker are North Dakota, Idaho, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Maine, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Tool & Die Maker Salary
The salary for Tool and Die Makers ranges between about $32,660 and $76,900 a year.
Tool and Die Makers who work in Connecticut, Kansas, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Tool and Die Makers in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,400 |
| Arizona | $53,270 |
| Arkansas | $44,000 |
| California | $57,190 |
| Colorado | $49,140 |
| Connecticut | $63,660 |
| Florida | $49,030 |
| Georgia | $50,680 |
| Idaho | $48,360 |
| Illinois | $53,730 |
| Indiana | $52,740 |
| Iowa | $49,690 |
| Kansas | $62,240 |
| Kentucky | $56,600 |
| Louisiana | $42,970 |
| Maine | $56,360 |
| Maryland | $56,770 |
| Massachusetts | $54,360 |
| Michigan | $53,220 |
| Minnesota | $58,380 |
| Mississippi | $46,480 |
| Missouri | $54,420 |
| Nebraska | $51,250 |
| Nevada | $57,790 |
| New Hampshire | $54,160 |
| New Jersey | $55,680 |
| New York | $53,290 |
| North Carolina | $49,780 |
| North Dakota | $55,680 |
| Ohio | $51,560 |
| Oklahoma | $57,860 |
| Oregon | $61,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,690 |
| Rhode Island | $52,340 |
| South Carolina | $52,440 |
| South Dakota | $42,460 |
| Tennessee | $46,490 |
| Texas | $50,340 |
| Utah | $55,510 |
| Vermont | $54,840 |
| Virginia | $53,770 |
| West Virginia | $55,580 |
| Wisconsin | $50,050 |
What Tools do Tool and Die Makers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Tool and Die Makers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- SAP
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
- Bentley Microstation
- PTC Creo Parametric
- Autodesk Inventor
- 1CadCam Unigraphics
- CNC Mastercam
- DP Technology ESPRIT
- Virtual Gibbs CADD/CAM
Becoming a Tool & Die Maker
Are there Tool and Die Makers education requirements?
How many years of work experience do I need?
References:
Image Credit: US Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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