Tooling Design Engineer - Cast Iron Foundry

Caterpillar•Hodges, SC

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Caterpillar is seeking a Tooling Design Engineer to join the Large Power Systems Division in Hodges, South Carolina. The role designs, develops, builds, implements, and validates foundry tooling used to manufacture cast-iron components. It applies foundry tooling and casting principles to develop tooling concepts and 3D models, including patterns, cores, core boxes, core prints, gating systems, filters, risers, and parting lines. The engineer works with design engineering, the tooling shop, quality, suppliers, and manufacturing teams throughout tooling design, construction, implementation, and validation. The position requires both 3D modeling capability and practical knowledge of how foundry tooling is designed, constructed, and used to produce castings. The role is onsite five days a week in Hodges, South Carolina. Domestic relocation is available; visa sponsorship is not available. An engineering or materials science degree from an accredited curriculum is desired. The summary pay range is $89,210 to $133,810. Benefits are subject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines.

Requirements

Working knowledge of foundry tooling-design and construction principles, including developing appropriate patterns, cores, core boxes, core prints, parting lines, gating systems, filters, risers, and other tooling features.
Working knowledge of 3D CAD and engineering tools, with the ability to independently develop, analyze, and evaluate 3D foundry-tooling models and detailed designs.
Experience with Creo or comparable 3D parametric CAD/modeling software.
Working knowledge of casting and foundry manufacturing processes, including molding, core-making, tooling construction, metal flow, manufacturability, and casting quality.
Ability to identify root causes of technical and manufacturing problems and develop effective solutions.
Working knowledge of engineering technologies and their applications, and ability to provide practical solutions to significant technical challenges.
Ability to manage multiple concurrent objectives, projects, or activities and make effective decisions about priorities and time allocation.
Working knowledge of manufacturing product-design processes, approaches, tools, and techniques, and ability to translate requirements into effective tooling designs.
Working knowledge of the processes and tools used to design, build, validate, and develop a product or tooling solution from concept through production.
An engineering or materials science degree from an accredited curriculum is desired.

Nice To Haves

Experience with cast-iron foundry tooling design and construction.
Experience developing 3D tooling models for sand-casting applications.
Experience determining cores and core prints for complex castings.
Experience establishing appropriate mold or tooling parting lines.
Experience designing gating systems, risers, filters, and other metal-flow features using established foundry principles.
Experience designing patterns and core boxes.
Experience with gray iron, ductile iron, or comparable sand-casting applications.
Knowledge of no-bake and/or cold-box processes.
Experience with horizontal and/or vertical molding processes.
Experience identifying, troubleshooting, and resolving foundry defects.
Strong working knowledge of foundry manufacturing processes and tooling construction.
Experience with casting simulation software such as MAGMASoft, SolidCast, or comparable software.
Experience supporting tooling from initial design and construction through implementation, validation, and production.

Responsibilities

Design and develop 3D models and detailed designs for cast-iron foundry tooling.
Evaluate casting geometry and determine the cores, core prints, parting lines, gating, risers, filters, and other tooling features needed to manufacture castings.
Design and support patterns, core boxes, gating systems, and related foundry tooling using established casting and tooling-design principles.
Apply practical tooling-construction knowledge to ensure designs can be built, implemented, and used in production.
Develop tooling and gating concepts that support metal flow, casting quality, manufacturability, and production requirements.
Partner with design engineering and the tooling shop through tooling construction, implementation, and validation.
Analyze tooling and casting performance and identify solutions to foundry defects, quality concerns, and manufacturing issues.
Research new materials, manufacturing methods, tooling concepts, and technologies.
Organize, coordinate, and execute the building, testing, analysis, and validation of prototypes and tooling.
Develop and document functional requirements and translate them into detailed engineering designs.
Participate in design reviews and buy-build analysis for tooling and product components.
Collaborate with supply management and suppliers to support tooling development, quality, and supplier performance.
Participate in proposal preparation, cost estimates, technical documentation, and engineering reports.