Is casting and molding the same thing?

While casting and molding are closely related manufacturing processes that are frequently discussed together in industrial production and art, they are fundamentally distinct techniques. Molding refers specifically to the process of creating the hollow form, matrix, or tool—known as the mold—that dictates the negative shape of the desired final object. Casting, on the other hand, is the actual secondary step where a liquid, molten, or pliable material—such as metal, plastic, resin, or plaster—is poured, injected, or placed into the pre-existing mold cavity and allowed to solidify into a positive replica of the intended design. In essence, you must first create a mold before you can perform a casting, making them complementary stages of the same manufacturing sequence rather than identical processes.