Tool and die maker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tool and Die Makers are highly skilled workers in the manufacturing industry. Most tool and die makers attend a 4 to 5 year apprenticeship program to achieve status of a journeyman tool and die maker. Some of the job functions of a tool and die maker consist of producing jigs, fixtures, form tools, dies, molds, cutting tools, and many other mechanical items used in the manufacturing process.*[1]

1 Job description
2 Training
3 Job outlook
4 See also
5 References

[edit] Job description

Tool makers, also known as tool fitters, make tools used by engineering craftspeople and operatives. These include:

Traditionally, working from engineering drawings, tool makers marked out the design on the raw material (usually metal or wood), then cut it to size and shape using a combination of lathes, milling machines, grinding machines and precision cutting machines. Many tool makers now use computer-aided design and CNC machine tools to perform these tasks. Some tool makers specialise as machinist tool makers, others as tool maker fitters, and some as tool repairers.[2]

[edit] Training

Although the details of training programs vary, many tool and die makers begin an apprenticeship with an employer, possibly including a mix of classroom training and hands-on experience. Some prior qualifications in mathematics, science, engineering or design and technology can be valuable.

[edit] Job outlook

Employment of tool and die makers is expected to decline in some countries due to increased use of automation, including CNC machine tools and computer-aided design. On the other hand, tool and die makers play a key role in building and maintaining advanced automated manufacturing equipment.