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Overview
Tool and die maker work is about designing, cutting, shaping, finishing and testing metal tools, dies and fixtures used in manufacturing processes.
In job descriptions, look for machine tools, dies, precision metalworking, deburring, grinding, polishing, product testing, technical drawings, CNC programming, measuring equipment and records for quality control.
Explore this occupation
Open in Job ExplorerWork context
Tool and die makers work in manufacturing workshops with metal stock, dies, jigs, machine tools, hand tools and CNC equipment. The job follows drawings and tolerances, then uses test runs and product checks to confirm the tool works.
Skills and specialization
Useful depth includes dies, machine tools, precision metalworking, deburring, grinding, polishing, joining metals, measuring equipment and quality standards. Specialization may focus on CNC programming, tool repair, fixture making, precious metals or cycle-time improvement.
Salary context
Salary context depends on precision requirements, material value, CNC responsibility, setup complexity, product testing and whether the role includes design decisions. Tool repair and prototype work are different from repetitive machine tending.
Career paths
Career paths can move from bench fitting and machine operation toward CNC setup, die making, tool design, quality control, maintenance of production tools or leading complex builds from drawing to test run.
Good to know
Check whether adverts name the tool type, materials, tolerances, machines, CAD or CNC work, measuring equipment and test duties. A clear advert separates toolmaking from general metal fabrication or simple machine operation.
Editorial note
This guide is editorial career context. It is not official labour-market statistics or role-specific salary data.
Map overview
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O*NET relationships
See occupations connected to this ESCO occupation in the official O*NET–ESCO mapping. The relationship type comes from the source and is not a ranking or recommendation.
O*NET relationships: 5
Machinists
51-4041.00
O*NET occupation is broader
The O*NET occupation covers a broader field of work than this ESCO occupation.
Open in O*NETMultiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
51-4081.00
Close relationship
The occupations are closely related, but the official mapping does not treat them as exact equivalents.
Open in O*NETTool and Die Makers
51-4111.00
Exact relationship
The official mapping treats the O*NET and ESCO occupations as closely equivalent.
Open in O*NETComputer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers
51-9162.00
Close relationship
The occupations are closely related, but the official mapping does not treat them as exact equivalents.
Open in O*NETComputer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
51-9161.00
O*NET occupation is broader
The O*NET occupation covers a broader field of work than this ESCO occupation.
Open in O*NETSource and method
These relationships come from the official European Commission O*NET–ESCO crosswalk.
Relationship direction: O*NET occupation to ESCO occupation.
Several O*NET occupations can point to the same ESCO occupation, and one O*NET occupation can point to several ESCO occupations.
AltoTrail preserves the source relationship type. The order is technical and does not show which occupation is best, most relevant or recommended.
AltoTrail validates and presents the source relationships without adding ranking or recommendation semantics.
Alternative labels
Occupation group
Toolmakers and related workers (7222)
Source facts
| ESCO URI | http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/ecac98ea-9fc3-4475-9b23-8af94f41603d |
|---|---|
| ESCO code | 7222.5 |
| ISCO group | 7222 |
| Concept type | Occupation |