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Tool and Die Makers

(D.O.T.  601.260-010, -014, .280 except -038, -054; .281-010, -014,
and -026, .380, .381 except -018, -038; and 739.381-018 and -022)

Nature of the Work

Tool and die makers are highly skilled workers who produce tools,
dies, and special guiding and holding devices that are used in
machines that produce a variety of products from clothing and
furniture to heavy equipment and parts for aircraft.

   Toolmakers craft precision tools which are used to cut, shape, and
form metal and other materials.  They also produce jigs and fixtures
(devices that hold metal while it is bored, stamped, or drilled) and
gauges and other measuring devices.  Diemakers construct metal forms
(dies) that are used to shape metal in stamping and forging
operations.  They also make metal molds for diecasting and for
molding plastics, ceramics, and composite materials.  In addition,
tool and die makers may repair worn or damaged tools, dies, gauges,
jigs, and fixtures, and design tools and dies.

   Tool and die makers must have a much broader knowledge of machining
operations, mathematics, and blueprint reading than most other
machining workers.  They use many types of machine tools and
precision measuring instruments and must be familiar with the
machining properties, such as hardness and heat tolerance, of a wide
variety of common metals and alloys.

   Working from blueprints or instructions, tool and die makers plan
the sequence of operations necessary to manufacture the tool or die.
They measure and mark the pieces of metal that will be cut to form
parts of the final product.  They then cut, bore, or drill the part
as required.  They also check the accuracy of what they have done to
ensure that the final product will meet specifications.  Then they
assemble the parts and perform finishing jobs such as filing,
grinding, and smoothing surfaces.

   Modern technology is helping to change tool and die makers' jobs.
Firms commonly use computer aided design (CAD) to develop products.
Specifications from the computer program can then be used to develop
designs electronically for the required tools and dies.  The designs
can then be sent to computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines
to produce the die.  Programs can also be electronically stored and
adapted for future use.  This saves time and increases productivity
of the workers.

   In shops that use numerically controlled (NC) machine tools, tool
and die makers' duties may be slightly different.  For example,
although they still manually check and assemble the tool or die,
each of its components may be produced on an NC machine.  In
addition, they often assist in the planning and writing of NC
programs.

   Tool and die makers work with little direct supervision.  Although
they must produce extremely precise parts, they also must work
quickly and economically.  Taking too much time or wasting materials
can reduce their employer's profit.

   Tool and die maker sets up a vertical mill.

Working Conditions

Tool and die makers usually work in toolrooms.  These areas are
quieter than the production floor because there are fewer machines
in use at one time.  Machines have guards and shields that minimize
the exposure of workers to moving parts.  Tool and die makers,
however, must follow safety rules and wear protective equipment.
For example, they must wear safety glasses in order to shield
against bits of flying metal and earplugs to protect against noise.
They may be exposed to hazardous materials such as lubricants or
cleaners.  In addition, they spend much of the day on their feet and
may do moderately heavy lifting.

   Companies employing tool and die makers traditionally operate one
shift per day.  However, as the cost of new machinery and technology
has increased, many employers now have more than one shift.
Overtime and Saturday work are common, especially during peak
production periods.

Employment

About 138,000 persons were employed as tool and die makers in 1992.
Most worked in industries that manufacture metalworking machinery
and equipment, motor vehicles, aircraft, and plastics products.
Although they are found throughout the country, jobs are most
plentiful in the Midwest and Northeast, where many of the
metalworking industries are located.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

Tool and die makers learn their trade through formal apprenticeship
programs or less formal on-the-job training.  The best way to learn
all aspects of tool and die making, according to most employers, is
a formal apprenticeship program that combines classroom instruction
and job experience.

   Most employers prefer persons with a high school or vocational
school education and, increasingly, those with an associate's
degree.  Courses in math, blueprint reading, metalworking, and
drafting, as well as machine shop experience, are helpful.

   During the 4 or 5 years of a tool and die apprenticeship,
apprentices learn to operate milling machines, lathes, grinders, and
other machine tools.  They also learn to use handtools in fitting
and assembling tools, gauges, and other mechanical and metal forming
equipment, and they study metalworking processes such as heat
treating and plating.  Classroom training usually consists of
mathematics, mechanical drawing, tool designing, tool programming,
and blueprint reading.

   Workers who become tool and die makers without completing formal
apprenticeships generally acquire their skills through informal
on-the-job programs.  They often begin as machine operators and
gradually take on more difficult assignments.  Many machinists
become tool and die makers.  In fact, tool and die makers are often
considered highly specialized machinists.  (See the statement on
machinists and tool programmers elsewhere in the Handbook.)

   Because tools and dies must meet strict specifications precision to
one ten-thousandth of an inch is not uncommon the work of tool and
die makers requires a high degree of patience and attention to
detail.  Good eyesight is essential.

   There are several ways for skilled workers to advance.  Some move
into supervisory and administrative positions in their firms; others
become tool designers or tool programmers.

Job Outlook

Employment of tool and die makers is expected to decline through the
year 2005.  As the economy grows, the demand for motor vehicles,
aircraft, machinery, and other products that use machined metal
parts will increase.  Rising demand for these goods will increase
the need for tools and dies.  Employment growth, however, will be
limited by increased use of numerically controlled machine tools.
The greater use of NC machine tools has reduced the number of
operations done by hand, so high-quality precision parts can be made
with fewer workers.  In addition, because precision metal products
are a primary component of manufacturing machinery, increased
imports of finished goods, as well as precision metal products,
lessen the demand for tool and die makers.

   Despite the expected decline in employment, many openings each year
will be created by tool and die makers who retire.  A relatively
large proportion of tool and die makers are at least 50 years of
age.  Currently, enrollments in tool and die maker training programs
have not increased enough to satisfy the demand for these workers
because employers in many locations are finding it difficult to
attract enough qualified candidates.  As older workers begin to
leave the occupation in larger numbers, employers in certain parts
of the country may face more pronounced shortages.  Jobseekers with
the appropriate skills and background should find excellent
opportunities.

Earnings

Median weekly earnings for tool and die makers who worked full time
were $642 in 1992.  Most earned between $499 and $803 a week.  Ten
percent earned less than $409 a week, and the 10 percent with the
highest weekly earnings made more than $911.

Related Occupations

The occupations most closely related to the work of tool and die
makers are the other machining occupations.  These include
machinist, mold maker, instrument maker, metalworking machine
operator, and tool programmer.

   Other occupations that require precision and skill in working with
metal include blacksmith, gunsmith, locksmith, metal patternmaker,
and welder.

Sources of Additional Information

   For general information about tool and die makers, contact:

   The Association for Manufacturing Technology, 7901 Westpark Dr.,
McLean, VA 22102.

   The National Tooling and Machining Association, 9300 Livingston Rd.,
Ft.  Washington, MD 20744.

   The Tooling and Manufacturing Association, 1177 South Dee Rd., Park
Ridge IL 60068.

   Precision Metalforming Association, 27027 Chardon Rd., Richmond
Heights, OH 44143.


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