Casting is a manufacturing process where a liquid material is poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape. The liquid material is then allowed to solidify in the mold, taking on its shape. The document discusses two main types of casting: sand casting and die casting. Sand casting involves creating a sand mold around a pattern, pouring molten metal into the mold cavity, and letting it solidify. Die casting uses high pressure to force molten metal into a mold cavity. The mold is then opened to eject the finished casting.