Die Cast Set-Up Operator

About the role

At Kurt Die Casting our employee experience and vertical-manufacturing facility set us apart. We take pride in our employees and work to the highest standards, equipped with the tools, opportunities and technology to produce top-quality, complex aluminum and zinc die castings. The Die Cast Set-Up Operator sets up and operates die casting machines that cast parts from nonferrous metals, such as aluminum.

Schedule

3:00 pm to 1:30 am, Monday through Thursday.

Compensation

The anticipated hourly starting rate for this position is between $21.26 and $28.00. The exact salary may be determined on a combination of factors including the candidate's knowledge, experience, skills, abilities, and education.

Responsibilities

• Lifts specified die sections into machine, using a chain or hoist.
• Bolts die section in position and adjusts stroke of ram, using hand tools.
• Connects water hose to cooling system of die.
• Preheats die sections with torch or electric heater.
• Turns valves and sets dial to regulate flow of water circulating through die, timing cycle and operating speed of machine, based on size and structure of part being cast and type and temperature of metal being used.
• Sets up robotic operations.
• Starts machine to produce sample casting, and examines casting to verify setup.
• Blows metal fragments from die surfaces, using air hose, and sprays lubricant over die cavity and plunger.
• Pushes button to close and lock dies and activate plunger that forces molten metal into die cavities.
• Removes casting after dies open automatically, using tongs or pliers.
• Inspects casting for defects, such as cracks or blisters.
• Performs process/equipment adjustments as necessary.
• May measure casting, using fixed gauges.
• May perform maintenance, cleaning and adjust malfunctioning machines.
• May clean furnaces and equipment.
• May operate gas or electric powered forklift truck to move, stack, or unload metal in and about facility.
• Counts, weighs, and/or records number of units of metal moved or handled.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent GED
• 1 month of related experience

Preferred qualifications

• 6 months of related experience
• NADCA Level I Certification

Physical demands

Strength Level Rating: Medium work. Work involves exerting 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, or an amount greater than negligible and up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects.

A worker in this job will frequently (from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time):

• Reach by extending hands and arms
• Handle objects by seizing, holding, grasping, turning or otherwise working with hands
• Pick, pinch, or otherwise work primarily with fingers
• Perceive attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by touch
• Adjust vision to bring objects into sharp focus

The worker will occasionally (up to 1/3 of the time):

• Climb such as ascend/descend ladders, stairs, etc. where body agility is emphasized
• Maintain balance to prevent falling when walking, standing, crouching when moving about on narrow, slippery or erratically moving surfaces
• Stoop by bending body downward and forward requiring full use of the lower extremities and back muscles
• Kneel by bending legs at knees to come to rest on knee(s)
• Crouch by bending body downward and forward by bending legs and spine
• Crawl by moving about on hands and knees
• Hear by perceiving the nature of sounds by ear
• Identify and distinguish colors

About Kurt Die Casting

100% employee owned, Kurt Die Casting is a division of Kurt Manufacturing and located near Minneapolis, MN. Employees at our die casting facility can gain experience in multiple areas of manufacturing including aluminum and zinc die casting, CNC machining, automation, and quality control. We have over 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space with the capacity and capability to service a diverse set of customers and industries. Kurt Die Casting features 20 CNC machining centers and 15 die casting machines ranging in size from 500 to 1,200 tons. Many of the castings we produce feature challenging designs that require secondary operations such as machining, finishing and assembly.

What makes Kurt different? It starts with employee ownership, what we put into our products, passion that leads to profound pride, and the endless desire to deliver perfection on time, every time. That’s why we’ll never settle for good enough. It’s this dedication that created our legacy of excellence.