Tool and die makers operate a variety of equipment and machinery designed to create metal tools and dies, which are both needed in several areas of manufacturing, and produce these tools in all steps of the production process. They design the tools and dies, then cut and shape them to size and finish them by manually operated machine tools, power tools, hand tools, or programming and tending cnc tool and die making machines.

Tasks

Tasks include -
(a) Reading and interpreting engineering drawings and specifications of tools, dies, prototypes or models;
(b) Preparing templates and sketches, and determining work processes;
(c) Visualizing and computing dimensions, sizes, shapes and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications;
(d) Positioning, securing and measuring metal stock or castings to lay out for machining;
(e) Setting up, operating and maintaining conventional and computer numerically controlled machine tools to cut, turn, mill, plane, drill, bore, grind or otherwise shape work pieces to prescribed dimensions and finish;
(f) Fitting and assembling parts to make and repair jigs, fixtures and gauges;
(g) Repairing and modifying sports guns and other small arms;
(h) Making, fitting, assembling, repairing and installing lock parts and locks;
(i) Making and repairing metal patterns for preparation of foundry moulds;
(j) Laying out lines and reference points on metal stock to guide other workers who cut, turn, mill, grind or otherwise shape metal;
(k) Verifying dimensions, alignments and clearances of finished parts for conformity with specifications, using precision measuring instruments and testing completed items for proper operation.