Tool and Die Makers Career, Salary and Skills

Occupation description

Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.

National salary and employment

Top skills

Typical tasks

• Set up and operate conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bore, grind, or otherwise shape parts to prescribed dimensions and finishes.
• Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications.
• Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies.
• Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders.
• Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects.
• Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance.
• Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates.
• Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.

Technology

• 1CadCam Unigraphics
• Autodesk AutoCAD
• Autodesk Inventor
• Bentley MicroStation
• Cimatron CimatronE Master
• CNC Mastercam
• Dassault Systemes CATIA
• Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
• data M Software COPRA MetalBender
• DP Technology ESPRIT
• JobPack MES Scheduler
• Kubotek USA KeyCreator
• Logopress
• MAKER CAD/CAM Services DIEMAKER

Tool and Die Makers salary by location

Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.

• Tool and Die Makers Salary in MI
  Median $65,590 · Employment 9,420
• Tool and Die Makers Salary in OH
  Median $62,280 · Employment 5,520
• Tool and Die Makers Salary in IL
  Median $61,170 · Employment 5,220
• Tool and Die Makers Salary in Detroit, MI
  Median $73,120 · Employment 4,900
• Tool and Die Makers Salary in IN
  Median $68,050 · Employment 4,090
• Tool and Die Makers Salary in Chicago, IL
  Median $61,180 · Employment 3,750
• Tool and Die Makers Salary in PA
  Median $61,160 · Employment 3,380
• Tool and Die Makers Salary in TN
  Median $60,760 · Employment 2,930
• Tool and Die Makers Salary in WI
  Median $68,120 · Employment 2,450
• Tool and Die Makers Salary in KY
  Median $66,570 · Employment 1,900
• Tool and Die Makers Salary in CT
  Median $77,540 · Employment 1,880
• Tool and Die Makers Salary in CA
  Median $77,030 · Employment 1,790

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