Production · SOC 51-4072
Modern molding machines are increasingly automated, but setup, visual inspection, and jam-clearing still need skilled hands.
Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
Timeline: High-volume plastic injection molding is automating rapidly; short-run and specialty metal casting will sustain skilled operator demand through at least the early 2030s.
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$40,790 median pay
$41,600 median pay
$48,970 median pay
$40,860 median pay
$37,940 median pay
AI job-risk card
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is resilient on AIFear. Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is 22/100 (Resilient). Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
22 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Reading specs and setting temperatures from work orders, Recording gauge readings and press-cycle data, Inventory tracking and materials requisitioning. Harder to automate: Physical setup of molds and machine tooling, Visual and tactile inspection of cast parts for defects, Real-time intervention when jams or malfunctions occur, Adjusting machine parameters based on observed part quality.
Lean into Plastics and metal casting processes, Machine setup and changeover, SPC and quality measurement, SCADA/HMI system operation, Preventive maintenance. Consider roles such as Injection Molding Technician or Quality Control Technician or Process Engineering Technician.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.