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Manufacturing51-4052.00Specialization

Pourers and Casters, Metal

Operate hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots.

$48,690
Median Pay
Less than 6 months
Training
🟠
In Transition
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This is a specialization of

Metal & Plastic Machine Workers

Career Overview Video

AI Impact Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 2/6: low AI task exposure, declining job demand, limited human advantage indicates this career is being transformed by AI

🟠In Transition

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Low+2

0% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Declining+0

-5% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Weak+0

EPOCH score: 8/25

Total Score2/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09
View full methodology →

Key Responsibilities

  • Pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds and forms to produce ingots or other castings, using ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms.
  • Read temperature gauges and observe color changes, adjusting furnace flames, torches, or electrical heating units as necessary to melt metal to specifications.
  • Remove solidified steel or slag from pouring nozzles, using long bars or oxygen burners.
  • Examine molds to ensure they are clean, smooth, and properly coated.
  • Collect samples, or signal workers to sample metal for analysis.
  • Load specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles.
  • Position equipment such as ladles, grinding wheels, pouring nozzles, or crucibles, or signal other workers to position equipment.
  • Skim slag or remove excess metal from ingots or equipment, using hand tools, strainers, rakes, or burners, collecting scrap for recycling.
  • Transport metal ingots to storage areas, using forklifts.

Education & Training

Typical Entry Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Time to Job Ready

0-1 years

Based on Job Zone 2. For formal education duration only, see education_duration.

Technology Skills

Process control softwareMicrosoft ExcelTemperature monitoring systemsProduction tracking

Key Abilities

Arm-Hand SteadinessManual DexterityControl PrecisionPerceptual SpeedMultilimb CoordinationReaction TimeNear VisionOral ComprehensionProblem SensitivityCategory Flexibility

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Find jobs and training programs for pourers and casters, metal- Median salary: $49K/year

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Compensation Details

$36,220
10th Percentile
$48,690
Median
$68,280
90th Percentile

Based on 5,460 employed workers

Also Known As

Aluminum PourerBillet HeaderBrass PourerBuggy Ladle TenderBull Ladle TenderBusherCasterCasting Machine OperatorCasting OperatorDC Caster (Direct Chill Caster)

Data from O*NET 30.1 and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics

O*NET Code: 51-4052.00