Tool Designer

Job Summary

The Tool Designer position develops plans for single stage, progressive and/or progressive stage dies for metal stamping, forming, gauges, etc.. Designs single or multiple-edged machine cutting tools, such as broaches, milling machine cutters, drills and related jigs, dies and fixtures. Applies knowledge of tool and die design, construction, shop mathematics, metal properties and layout to analyze specifications and metal stock layout. Set up and operate machine shop equipment, fit and assemble parts for the fabrication and repair of metalworking dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gages and machinists’ hand tools.

Duties and Responsibilities

•  Selects standard items such as materials, assemblies, bushings and tool bits to incorporate into tool and/or die design. May prepare initial bill of materials for future use.
  Drafts preliminary drawings and sketches of die necessary to form complete stampings or other parts.
• Based on knowledge of dies, forming processes, and machines, determines sequence and number of die stages in which single, transfer or progressive cutting, punching, and forming will be accomplished. Determines type of die sets required to produce complete part.
• Drafts scale drawings of each die set, delineating contours and dimensions for manufacturing of die set.
• Studies specifications, engineering prints, tool orders, and shop data. Confers with engineering and shop personnel to resolve design problems related to material characteristics, dimensional tolerances, service requirements, manufacturing procedures, and costs.
• Reviews specifications such as blueprints, sketches, models, or descriptions, and visualizes, calculates, and determines necessary materials and other assemblies needed in the completion of specific dies.
• Observes setup and tryout of newly developed die set in production machine to determine need for redesign or readiness for production use.
• Assists tool & die makers and precision machinists in troubleshooting and corrective action on old, new, and prototype dies and tools.
•  Participates with other designers by answering or otherwise providing data and cost information for quotes and other work requests.
•  Other duties as required.

Qualifications

To achieve success, a Tool Designer should possess the following minimum requirements, knowledge, skills, and abilities:

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree (BA) is preferred; or, four to five years related experience and/or training; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience. Two years of Technical School, with knowledge of Auto-CAD and Solidworks™.

Comprehension/Communication skills: Reads, analyzes, and interprets general business periodicals, blueprints, specification sheets, schematics, professional journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations. Presents information effectively, and responds to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills: Works with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Applies concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

Reasoning ability: Defines problems, collects data, establishes facts, and draws valid conclusions. Interprets an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deals with several abstract and concrete variables.

Physical Requirements (if any):  Occasionally, walks, stoops, kneels, crouches or crawls; regularly, moves up to 50 pounds, stands, uses hands and fingers to handle, or feel; may occasionally move up to 100 pounds with the use of a dolly, cart or other mechanical equipment. Reaches with hands and arms. Ability to sit for an extended period of time for up to 10 hours a day with good visual acuity to perform activities such as viewing data and figures on both paper and computer monitor.