A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron. However, other metals, such as bronze, brass, steel, magnesium, and zinc, are also used to produce castings in foundries. In this process, parts of desired shapes and sizes can be formed.
From Fra Burmeister og Wain's Iron Foundry, by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1885
A Foundryman, pictured by Daniel A. Wehrschmidt in 1899
Melting metal in a crucible for casting
A metal die casting robot in an industrial foundry
In metalworking and jewelry making, casting is a process in which a liquid metal is delivered into a mold that contains a negative impression of the intended shape. The metal is poured into the mold through a hollow channel called a sprue. The metal and mold are then cooled, and the metal part is extracted. Casting is most often used for making complex shapes that would be difficult or uneconomical to make by other methods.
Molten metal before casting
Casting iron in a sand mold
Iron bell cooling after iron pour
Personal protective equipment to shield from radiant heat and molten splashes