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。在中国地区的史前人类约在公元前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准。铸造是指将加热后变成液态的物质，在融化状态时将其倒入预先做好的铸模内，待其冷却凝固后取出即得所需之铸件。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沙、金属甚至陶瓷。因应不同要求，使用的方法也会有所不同。

In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process. Casting is most often used for making complex shapes that would be difficult or uneconomical to make by other methods.