foundry moulder
Foundry moulders manufacture cores for metal moulds, which are used to fill a space in the mould that must remain unfilled during casting. They use wood, plastic or other materials to create the core, selected to withstand the extreme environment of a metal mould.
foundry moulder foundry moulders manufacture cores for metal moulds, which are used to fill a space in the mould that must remain unfilled during casting. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include position core workpieces, maintain cores, repair core defects, troubleshoot, maintain core parts.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £37,058 a year for Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 5212). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Craft and related trades workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only foundry moulder, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 7. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- English Language
- Mechanical
- Education and Training
- Production and Processing
- Administration and Management
- Physics
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
What you'd actually do
- Clean and smooth molds, cores, and core boxes, and repair surface imperfections.
- Sift and pack sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools.
- Position patterns inside mold sections, and clamp sections together.
- Position cores into lower sections of molds, and reassemble molds for pouring.
- Sprinkle or spray parting agents onto patterns and mold sections to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.
- Form and assemble slab cores around patterns, and position wire in mold sections to reinforce molds, using hand tools and glue.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does foundry moulder do?
Foundry moulders manufacture cores for metal moulds, which are used to fill a space in the mould that must remain unfilled during casting. They use wood, plastic or other materials to create the core, selected to withstand the extreme environment of a metal mould.
What skills does foundry moulder need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include position core workpieces, maintain cores, repair core defects, troubleshoot, maintain core parts, insert core structures. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace foundry moulder?
Our AI-durability model gives foundry moulder a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.