Career Profile: Tool and Die Maker
This is the job description of the Tool and Die Maker.
A Tool and die maker is also sometimes known as the mold maker. This is a highly skilled technical profession.
What does a Tool and Die maker do? The job scope of a Tool and die maker includes making mauufacturing-related objects such as cutting tools, dies, molds, jigs, fixtures and machine tools. Generally speaking, he make the tools and objects that other technical workers use during the manufacturing and production process.
A modern day Tool and die maker need to know how to use computer-aided design (or CAD) programs and Computer-numerical Control (or CNC) machine to fabricate the designs of these tools and objects. CAD programs comes in 2D and 3D types. Increasingly, the manufacturing industry is using more of the 3D type CAD programs.
Career-wise, tool and die makers often begin as an apprentice. The training typically involves combination of classroom training and practical sessions.
A mold can be really expensive. The tooling part is costly business. As such the job of a mold maker have to be highly skilled.
The mold making in China and some parts of Asia is quite cheap.