Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
Lay out, machine, fit, and assemble castings and parts to metal or plastic foundry patterns, core boxes, or match plates.
1,470 people do this job in the US. $58,000 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 35%
- 0%
- 65%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 12%. Today's estimate: 16%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 15 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and create templates, patterns, or coreboxes according to work orders, sample parts, or mockups.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 21% | 6.7 h1.7 h to 4.2 work days | Stays with people | |
| Program computerized numerical control machine tools.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 15% | 2.5 h50 min to 6.7 h | 46%Half by Oct 2026 | |
| Set up and operate machine tools, such as milling machines, lathes, drill presses, and grinders, to machine castings or patterns.Done daily by most who do it. | 14% | 2.5 h38 min to 1 work day | Stays with people | |
| Create computer models of patterns or parts, using modeling software.Done daily by most who do it. | 12% | 4.2 h1.3 h to 1.7 work days | 19%Half by Apr 2027 | |
| Construct platforms, fixtures, and jigs for holding and placing patterns.Done daily by most who do it. | 9% | 3.3 h50 min to 1.7 work days | Stays with people | |
| Read and interpret blueprints or drawings of parts to be cast or patterns to be made, compute dimensions, and plan operational sequences.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 50 min17 min to 2.5 h | 87%Half by now | |
| Assemble pattern sections, using hand tools, bolts, screws, rivets, glue, or welding equipment.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 1.3 h25 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Verify conformance of patterns or template dimensions to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, scales, and micrometers.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 25 min13 min to 1.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Clean and finish patterns or templates, using emery cloths, files, scrapers, and power grinders.Done daily by most who do it. | 3% | 1.1 h17 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Repair and rework templates and patterns.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 3% | 1.7 h25 min to 6.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Lay out and draw or scribe patterns onto material, using compasses, protractors, rulers, scribes, or other instruments.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 2% | 1.3 h17 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Paint or lacquer patterns.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 1% | 50 min17 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers32% now, 52% by 2028
- Patternmakers, Wood11% now, 12% by 2028
- Tool and Die Makers13% now, 35% by 2028
- Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic10% now, 13% by 2028
- Model Makers, Metal and Plastic18% now, 22% by 2028
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic0% now, 0% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).