铸造是人类掌握比较早的一种金属热加工工艺，已有约6000年的历史。中国约在公元前1700～前1000年之间已进入青铜铸件的全盛期，工艺上已达到相当高的水平。铸造是将液体金属浇铸到与零件形状相适应的铸造空腔中，待其冷却凝固后，以获得零件或毛坯的方法。被铸物质多为原为固态但加热至液态的金属（例：铜、铁、铝、锡、铅等），而铸模的材料可以是砂、金属甚至陶瓷。因应不同要求，使用的方法也会有所不同。

Foundry is a kind of metal hot working technology that human beings have mastered earlier, and it has a history of about 6000 years. Between 1700 BC and 1000 BC, China has entered the peak period of bronze castings and reached a fairly high level of technology. Casting is a method of casting liquid metal into a casting cavity suitable for the shape of the part and then cooling and solidifying it to obtain parts or blanks. Most of the cast materials are solid but heated to liquid metal (e.g. copper, iron, aluminum, tin, lead, etc.), while the material of the casting mould can be sand, metal or even ceramics. According to different requirements, different methods will be used.