US dataswitch to UK

Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

measuring and visually inspecting products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance, cooling products after processing to prevent distortion and skimming or pouring dross. If that's your week, this page is about your job.

The honest answer

AI changes the edges of this job, not the middle: turning valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure is work software can't reach.

Your move: what you can actually do about this ↓

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 0%
changing shape: 5%
staying human: 95%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

Whole-job exposure score 7 out of 100 (5–12 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, across 29 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.

How we know this

What is measured: Every published task statement for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

What shifts is inventorying and recording quantities of materials and finished products: the paper around the work, not the work.

Your week, as this page understands it

Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products. The job title says “molding”, “coremaking”, “casting machine setters”, “operators”, “tenders”, “metal” or “plastic”: officially one job, several names. The real job is the part underneath: turning valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure. That is the thing someone has to be right about.

The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is not one task. It is 29 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is turning valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, and the ledger below shows exactly why.

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 0%
changing shape: 5%
staying human: 95%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

How we know this

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

Your job, task by task

These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.

One task scored differently between repeat runs, so its range on this page is wider. We would rather show the wobble than hide it.
2 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Shifting to AI

0 tasks

Tasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.

Nothing in this job’s scored task list landed in this group. That is the measurement, not an editorial choice, and it is worth knowing either way.

Changing shape

2 tasks

Tasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.

Inventorying and recording quantities of materials and finished products
The software now makes the first pass at quantities of materials, but part of it still happens in the physical world. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Inventory and record quantities of materials and finished products, requisitioning additional supplies as necessary.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 46 out of 100 (39–53 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Recording stock levels and raising orders is ordinary computer work, but counting the actual materials means walking the floor.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Maintaining inventories of materials
The software now makes the first pass at inventories of materials, but part of it still happens in the physical world. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Maintain inventories of materials.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 46 out of 100 (39–53 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Keeping material records current is straightforward computer work, though checking actual stock means being on the floor.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Staying human

27 tasks

Tasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.

Observing continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions
This work happens in the physical world: continuous operation of automatic machines, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Watching a running machine and correcting jams needs someone at the press, even though the readings themselves are data.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Measuring and visually inspecting products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance
This work happens in the physical world: inspecting products, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Measuring parts with precision instruments means handling them, though the comparison against specifications is simple checking.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Turning valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure
This work happens in the physical world: valves, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Turning valves and dials means physically operating the machine controls.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Reading specifications, blueprints and work orders to determine setups, temperatures and time settings required to mold, form or cast plastic materials
The ratings behind this row put specifications, blueprints and work orders well outside what today's tools can do on their own.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “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.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Software can read a work order, but choosing temperatures and cycle times depends on knowing the particular machine and material.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Observing meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures
This work happens in the physical world: meters, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 19 out of 100 (12–26 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Reading and logging gauge values is simple recording, but someone has to be standing at the machine to do it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Removing parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs
This work happens in the physical world: parts, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Taking dies out of a machine after a run is heavy hands-on work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Setting up, operate or tend metal or plastic molding, casting or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products
This work happens in the physical world: up, operate or tend metal or plastic, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Setting up and running molding machines is hands-on work at the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Connecting water hoses to cooling systems of dies
This work happens in the physical world: water hoses, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–7 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence, and it moved between repeat runs, so the range is widened.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Connecting hoses is done by hand.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

Show the other 19 tasks

Selecting and installing blades, tools or other attachments for each operation
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: blades, tools or other attachments, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Select and install blades, tools, or other attachments for each operation.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Choosing the right blade or attachment can be looked up, but fitting it means hands on the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Selecting coolants and lubricants and starting their flow
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: coolants, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Select coolants and lubricants, and start their flow.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 13 out of 100 (6–20 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Picking a coolant can be looked up, but starting and adjusting the flow happens at the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Positioning and securing workpieces on machines
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: workpieces, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Position and secure workpieces on machines, and start feeding mechanisms.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Loading and securing workpieces then starting the feed is physical machine work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Removing finished or cured products from dies or molds
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: finished, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Remove finished or cured products from dies or molds, using hand tools, air hoses, and other equipment, stamping identifying information on products when necessary.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Pulling cured parts from molds with hand tools and air hoses is manual work at the press.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Skimming or pouring dross, slag or impurities from molten metal, using ladles, rakes, hoes, spatulas or spoons
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: dross, slag or impurities, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Skim or pour dross, slag, or impurities from molten metal, using ladles, rakes, hoes, spatulas, or spoons.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Skimming slag off molten metal with hand tools is hot, physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Trimming excess material from parts
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: excess material, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Trim excess material from parts, using knives, and grind scrap plastic into powder for reuse.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Trimming parts with knives and grinding scrap is manual work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Cooling products after processing to prevent distortion
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: products, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Cool products after processing to prevent distortion.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cooling products after processing is a physical step at the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Installing dies onto machines or presses and coat dies with parting agents
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: dies, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Install dies onto machines or presses and coat dies with parting agents, according to work order specifications.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fitting dies and coating them with release agents is hands-on setup work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Mixing and measuring compounds or weighing premixed compounds and dump them into machine tubs, cavities or molds
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: compounds, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Mix and measure compounds, or weigh premixed compounds, and dump them into machine tubs, cavities, or molds.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Mixing, weighing and tipping compounds into machines is physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Spraying smoke or coat molds with compounds to lubricate or insulate molds, using acetylene torches or sprayers
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: smoke, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Spray, smoke, or coat molds with compounds to lubricate or insulate molds, using acetylene torches or sprayers.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Spraying or torching mold coatings is hands-on work at the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Adjusting equipment and workpiece holding fixtures
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Adjust equipment and workpiece holding fixtures, such as mold frames, tubs, and cutting tables, to ensure proper functioning.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Adjusting fixtures and mold frames is hands-on machine work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Pouring or loading metal or sanding into melting pots
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: metal, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Pour or load metal or sand into melting pots, furnaces, molds, or hoppers, using shovels, ladles, or machines.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Shoveling and ladling metal or sand into furnaces and molds is heavy manual work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Unloading finished products from conveyor belts
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: finished products, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Unload finished products from conveyor belts, pack them in containers, and place containers in warehouses.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Unloading, packing and storing finished parts is physical handling.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Preheating tools, dies, plastic materials or patterns, using blowtorches or other equipment
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: tools, dies, plastic materials or patterns, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Preheat tools, dies, plastic materials, or patterns, using blowtorches or other equipment.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Preheating tools and materials with a blowtorch is physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Operating hoists to position dies or patterns on foundry floors
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: hoists, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Operate hoists to position dies or patterns on foundry floors.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Operating a hoist to move dies around the floor is physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Smoothing and cleaning inner surfaces of molds
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: inner surfaces of molds, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Smooth and clean inner surfaces of molds, using brushes, scrapers, air hoses, or grinding wheels, and fill imperfections with refractory material.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cleaning and repairing mold surfaces is close manual work with brushes, scrapers and grinders.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Obtaining and moving specified patterns to work stations
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: specified patterns, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Obtain and move specified patterns to work stations, manually or using hoists, and secure patterns to machines, using wrenches.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fetching patterns and bolting them to machines is physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Performing maintenance work, cleaning and oiling machines
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: maintenance work, cleaning and oiling machines, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Perform maintenance work such as cleaning and oiling machines.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cleaning and oiling machines is hands-on maintenance.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Repairing or replacing damaged molds
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: damaged molds, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Repair or replace damaged molds, pipes, belts, chains, or other equipment, using hand tools, hand-powered presses, or jib cranes.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Repairing molds, belts and pipes with hand tools is physical maintenance work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

What this job pays, and how many people do it

Median pay: $44,350a year, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.bls-oews, 2025 · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
How we know this
Source: bls-oews
Reference period: May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
Rounding: Shown as published.
People doing this job: 150,470in the US, 2025.bls-oews · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)

What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.

Why this is shifting

The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is the same call made over and over on quantities of materials, where the right answer is already known. The rows above are exactly that shape: inventorying and recording quantities of materials and finished products. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where valves get done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.

Your move

Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend

Start with what does not change: turning valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure is the middle of this job, and the evidence on this page says it stays with a person.

So, given all that: 0% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 5% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 95% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 29 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.

So the thing worth your attention is not the job going away. It is the layer around it. Inventorying and recording quantities of materials and finished products is the part turning into software, and being the person who understands that layer is worth money.

This week: one thing

Ask the one question. Find whoever is bringing new software into your workplace (the manager, the office, whoever runs the system) and ask them what it is meant to do to quantities of materials, and what it is not meant to touch. Ten minutes, this week, before anyone decides it for you.

What you end up holding: a straight answer about what is actually being rolled out, and when
How long it takes: ten minutes

If there’s nobody obvious to ask, or you’d rather not ask your manager: Put the same question to your union rep, your shift lead or the person who has been there longest, in person, over a break. Same ten minutes, same answer, and you will usually get a straighter one. Write down what they say. The note is the artifact, and it tells you whether continuous operation of automatic machines is in scope or not. Nothing to log into, no license needed.

Over the next 90 days

Get inside the tool rollout rather than waiting for it. Over the next ninety days, ask to be in the group that tests, checks or signs off whatever new system arrives near inventorying and recording quantities of materials and finished products. It is usually an unglamorous seat that nobody fights for, and it is the one that decides how the software is used on your job rather than to it.

Over the next 12 months

On this evidence I would not retrain out of this job, and I will say that plainly rather than hedge it. The task list here is dominated by work that stays with a person. What I would do with a year is get formally recognised for the layer around it (the systems, the compliance, the planning), so you are the one who understands the software instead of the one it is done to. Before you pay for anything, use CareerOneStop - Find local training. It is free, it is the Labor Department's own service, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.

The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them

I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.

I checked the 12 nearest US occupations to molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic: only about 14% of its durable work is work you already do. And on the numbers you do not need one. This job scores 7/100 here, with only 0% of the task list in the top band, and “observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications…” is not work that hands over cleanly. None of them beats deepening what you already have.

How that was checked: this job was compared against all 830 US occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.

3 moves I checked and rejected

These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already select coolants and lubricants, and start their flow, and their equivalent is to select the proper coolants and lubricants and start their flow. Across both published task lists that is about 14% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 14% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished, and their equivalent is to remove dies from machines when production runs are finished. Across both published task lists that is about 10% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 10% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on. And it is a narrow door: about 8,930 of those jobs against 150,470 of yours (OEWS May 2025), 6% as many seats.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance…, and their equivalent is to measure and examine extruded products to locate defects and to check for conformance…. Across both published task lists that is about 7% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 7% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step.
Look at that job’s page anyway →

What I’d stop worrying about

A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.

The headline number you read somewhere
The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 0% of its task weight, across 29 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.
The headlines about your trade disappearing
They are usually about the technology, not the timetable. Changes to work like turning valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure arrive through rules, insurance and money, slowly and visibly. This page tracks the task evidence and will move when it moves.
Retraining out of a job that is holding up
On this evidence I would not spend money leaving. Spend it on the layer around the job instead: the tools, the paperwork, the planning. That is where the change actually is.
The “obvious” next job everyone suggests
I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.

You are reading the United States figures

The United Kingdom splits this work across more than one official group, of which Plastics process operatives is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.

Switch to the United Kingdom page →partial match

In UK official statistics this job is counted as Plastics process operatives. Pay and employment stay on this page’s own group; the task list and the scores do not cross over.

Your route through this

Where to go next, and what it costs

Free, and complete

The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.

Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop - Find local training
Search what's running near you, from the Labor Department's own database, before anyone sells you a course.
Free to search; individual programs vary, and some are funded
Anywhere in the US:
American Job Center locator
An American Job Center will sit down with you for free. Find yours by ZIP code.
Free
- CareerOneStop local help hub
Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop - Licensed occupations finder
Check what your state actually requires before you pay for anything.
Free
Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop
Free

Why there is no community here

Collab365, who build this site, run paid Spaces for a small number of subjects, and none of them is built for this job. We are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.

So the free services listed on this page are the whole answer, and it is the same answer we would give a friend.

Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for molding / coremaking / casting machine setters / operators / tenders / metal / plastic launches. Nothing else.

That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.

We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.

No Space for molding / coremaking / casting machine setters / operators / tenders / metal / plastic yet. Should there be one?

Collab365 Spaces is built by the same people as this site. We find the problems that AI and automation are creating inside one kind of work, then solve them as short courses, briefings and Blueprints. Each Space is the community too, so the research and the people doing your job are in the same place.

What a Space actually is, in full

Collab365 launches new communities where the need is real. If one for molding / coremaking / casting machine setters / operators / tenders / metal / plastic existed, with researched problems, courses and people in the same boat, would you want in?

Your email

We use your email address for one thing: to tell you if a Space for molding / coremaking / casting machine setters / operators / tenders / metal / plastic launches. We never sell it, never use it for unrelated marketing, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe. Our privacy policy has the full version.

This unlocks nothing. Every figure, every row and every step on this page is already yours, whether you fill this in or not.

No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.

Questions people ask about this job

Will AI replace Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?: Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 29 official task statements scored for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (United States, SOC 51-4072), 0% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 7 out of 100 (range 5–12, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
Which tasks in “Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic” can AI already do?: The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Inventory and record quantities of materials and finished products, requisitioning additional supplies as necessary” (46/100, partial); “Maintain inventories of materials” (46/100, partial); “Read specifications, blueprints, and work orders to determine setups, temperatures, and time settings required to mold, form, or cast plastic materials, as w…” (38/100, low). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
Which tasks in “Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic” stay human?: About 95% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Repair or replace damaged molds, pipes, belts, chains, or other equipment, using hand tools, hand-powered presses, or jib cranes” (0/100, minimal); “Perform maintenance work such as cleaning and oiling machines” (0/100, minimal); “Obtain and move specified patterns to work stations, manually or using hoists, and secure patterns to machines, using wrenches” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
What should someone working in “Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic” do about AI?: Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 0% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 95% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
How is the AI exposure score for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic calculated?: Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 29 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

Where these numbers come from

About the data on this page

One task scored differently between repeat runs, so its range on this page is wider. We would rather show the wobble than hide it.
The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
2 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Task statements: onet-dbProcessing: catalogue-bridge → onet-im-rt-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
Task weights: onet-db (im-rt)
Scores: Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-04.
Pay and employment: bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))

Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.

The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.

The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.

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Using these figures?

Cite this

Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.

Plain text

Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).

BibTeX

@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
  title        = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
  author       = {{Collab365}},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
  note         = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}

Permalink

https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1

Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.