Metal casting is a manufacturing process in which molten or liquid metal is poured into a mold made of sand, metal or ceramic, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, to form geometrically complex parts. All major metals can be made into castings and the most common ones are iron, aluminum, magnesium, zinc, steel and copper-based alloys. Metal castings find application in cars, trucks, planes, trains, mining and construction equipment, oil wells, pipes, toys, space shuttles, wind turbines, nuclear plants, and more.