Operate hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots.
<ul><li>Pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds and forms to produce ingots or other castings, using ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms.</li><li>Examine molds to ensure they are clean, smooth, and properly coated.</li><li>Read temperature gauges and observe color changes, adjusting furnace flames, torches, or electrical heating units as necessary to melt metal to specifications.</li><li>Pull levers to lift ladle stoppers and to allow molten steel to flow into ingot molds to specified heights.</li><li>Collect samples, or signal workers to sample metal for analysis.</li><li>Load specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles.</li><li>Add metal to molds to compensate for shrinkage.</li><li>Skim slag or remove excess metal from ingots or equipment, using hand tools, strainers, rakes, or burners, collecting scrap for recycling.</li><li>Remove metal ingots or cores from molds, using hand tools, cranes, and chain hoists.</li><li>Position equipment such as ladles, grinding wheels, pouring nozzles, or crucibles, or signal other workers to position equipment.</li><li>Transport metal ingots to storage areas, using forklifts.</li><li>Repair and maintain metal forms and equipment, using hand tools, sledges, and bars.</li></ul>