Casting involves melting metal and pouring it into a mold to solidify into the desired shape. It allows for complex shapes that would be difficult to form through other manufacturing methods. The key steps in sand casting are preparing the mold, which involves assembling the flasks, pattern, and cores to form the cavity and channels for pouring in the molten metal. Some advantages are the ability to produce large and complex parts at low cost, though there are also limitations like lower strength, tolerance and surface finish compared to other processes. Common applications include engine blocks and manifolds.