Castings can range in size from a few grams (for example, watch case) to several tones (marine diesel engines), shape complexity from simple (manhole cover) to intricate (6-cylinder engine block) and order size one-off (paper mill crusher) to mass production (automobile pistons).
Today, castings are used in virtually all walks of life. The following is a partial list of applications, with transport sector and heavy equipment taking up over 50% of castings produced:
- Transport: automobile, aerospace, railways and shipping
- Heavy equipment: construction, farming and mining
- Machine tools: machining, casting, plastics moulding, forging, extrusion and forming
- Plant machinery: chemical, petroleum, paper, sugar, textile, steel and thermal plants
- Defense: vehicles, artillery, munitions, storage and supporting equipment
- Electrical machines: motors, generators, pumps and compressors
- Municipal castings: pipes, joints, valves and fittings
- Household: appliances, kitchen and gardening equipment, furniture and fittings
- Art objects: sculptures, idols, furniture, lamp stands and decorative items.