Pourers and Casters, Metal

Examine molds to ensure they are clean, smooth, and properly coated.

Pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds and forms to produce ingots or other castings, using ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms.

Pull levers to lift ladle stoppers and to allow molten steel to flow into ingot molds to specified heights.

Read temperature gauges and observe color changes, adjusting furnace flames, torches, or electrical heating units as necessary to melt metal to specifications.

Collect samples, or signal workers to sample metal for analysis.

Load specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles.

Add metal to molds to compensate for shrinkage.

Turn valves to circulate water through cores, or spray water on filled molds to cool and solidify metal.

Skim slag or remove excess metal from ingots or equipment, using hand tools, strainers, rakes, or burners, collecting scrap for recycling.

Remove metal ingots or cores from molds, using hand tools, cranes, and chain hoists.

Stencil identifying information on ingots and pigs, using special hand tools.

Assemble and embed cores in casting frames, using hand tools and equipment.

Position equipment such as ladles, grinding wheels, pouring nozzles, or crucibles, or signal other workers to position equipment.

Transport metal ingots to storage areas, using forklifts.

Remove solidified steel or slag from pouring nozzles, using long bars or oxygen burners.

Repair and maintain metal forms and equipment, using hand tools, sledges, and bars.