What does a tool designer do?
A tool designer is an expert who works to engineer a new equipment's initial design used in industrial manufacturing. Tool designers design machine cutting tools like drills, broaches, and milling-machine cutters. They apply geometric and algebraic formulas along with standard tool engineering data for tool configuration development. Also, they modify tool designs based on production service data or trial for tool life performance and life improvement.
Tool designer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real tool designer resumes:
- Manage customer contacts, lead, design, sketch and model Saab environmental test fixtures using Unigraphics V18.
- Tune and correct extrusion tools to achieve dimensional tolerances, finish and function of products to internal and external customer specifications.
- Used drill press, surface grinders, vertical mills, lathes, & NC control mills.
- Train on Unigraphics version NX 7.5 Mold layout and design for plastic injection molds to make automotive lighting components.
- Design automated production assembly jigs and fixtures for medical devices.
- Design transfer, progressive, and blank dies for niche market OEM's.
- Maintain dies that cast the aluminum compressor parts.
- Fabricate, silver solder, and Tig weld.
- Create bearing components for the global tooling workflow (using NX).
- Prepare specifications for PLC programs, including timing charts for electrical circuits.
- Experience with engine lathes, mills, drill presses, surface grinders and breaching.
- Create solid models of castings, shanks, and various weld gun components using Unigraphics v.15.0.
- Participate in team environment to develop a Catia design pilot to increase draw die design efficiency.
- Design and detail sheet metal stamping tools, deep draw dies, and assort fixtures for CNC lathes and welding.
- Coach other designers in Catia methodology.
Tool designer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 10% of Tool Designers are proficient in Jigs, Assembly Fixtures, and Aerospace. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Manual dexterity, and Math skills and computer application experience.
We break down the percentage of Tool Designers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Jigs, 10%
Designed automated production assembly jigs and fixtures for medical devices.
- Assembly Fixtures, 8%
Implement design for manufacturing, assembly and reliability of assembly fixtures and processes.
- Aerospace, 6%
Designed aerospace tooling for the production of composite filament-wound rocket motors used for satellite payload delivery.
- CNC, 5%
Produced CNC programming for various machining processes utilizing CimCAD/CimLINK.
- NX, 5%
Trained on Unigraphics version NX 7.5 Mold layout and design for plastic injection molds to make automotive lighting components.
- GD, 4%
Apply GD & T, tolerance and part fit stack-up analysis.
Most tool designers use their skills in "jigs," "assembly fixtures," and "aerospace" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential tool designer responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a tool designer to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "machinists and tool and die makers must be able to interpret technical blueprints, models, and specifications so that they can craft precision tools and metal parts." Tool designers often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "create a drawing or dataset using computer-aided design (catia v4) techniques and drafting standards and generate a materials list. "
Manual dexterity. Another essential skill to perform tool designer duties is manual dexterity. Tool designers responsibilities require that "machinists’ and tool and die makers’ work demands accuracy, sometimes to within .0001 of an inch." Tool designers also use manual dexterity in their role according to a real resume snippet: "created detailed engineering part drawings using manual drafting and computer aided design methods. "
Physical stamina. tool designer responsibilities often require "physical stamina." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "machinist and tool and die makers must stand for extended periods and perform repetitious movements." This resume example shows what tool designers do with physical stamina on a typical day: "support physical security product lines. "
Technical skills. Another crucial skill for a tool designer to carry out their responsibilities is "technical skills." A big part of what tool designers relies on this skill, since "machinists and tool and die makers must understand metalworking processes." How this skill relates to tool designer duties can be seen in an example from a tool designer resume snippet: "design concepts and detailed drawings in siemens nx - 7.5 provides technical support for all tooling"
Mechanical skills. Lastly, "mechanical skills" is an important element of what a tool designer does. Tool designer responsibilities require this skill because "machinists and tool and die makers may operate milling machines, lathes, grinders, laser and water jetting machines, wire electrical discharge machines, and other machine tools." This resume example highlights how tool designer duties rely on this skill: "design of mechanical parts and assemblies, packaging & circuit boards, pictorial assembly drawings. "
The three companies that hire the most tool designers are:
- Boeing55 tool designers jobs
- ICONMA6 tool designers jobs
- Waltonen Engineering6 tool designers jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable tool designer resume templates
Build a professional tool designer resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your tool designer resume.
Compare different tool designers
Tool designer vs. Die maker apprentice
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, tool designer responsibilities require skills like "jigs," "assembly fixtures," "aerospace," and "cnc." Meanwhile a typical die maker apprentice has skills in areas such as "grinders," "drill press," "cam," and "press operation." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
On average, die maker apprentices reach similar levels of education than tool designers. Die maker apprentices are 4.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Tool designer vs. Die builder
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, tool designer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "assembly fixtures," "aerospace," "cnc," and "nx." Meanwhile, a die builder has duties that require skills in areas such as "grinders," "cnc wire," "support production," and "cad." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Die builders tend to reach similar levels of education than tool designers. In fact, they're 3.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Tool designer vs. Die maker
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from tool designer resumes include skills like "assembly fixtures," "aerospace," "nx," and "gd," whereas a die maker is more likely to list skills in "hand tools," "grinders," "cad," and "drill presses. "
Most die makers achieve a similar degree level compared to tool designers. For example, they're 2.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Tool designer vs. Die maintenance
Types of tool designer
Updated January 8, 2025
