Patternmaking is the first step in the casting process and involves creating a model, or "pattern," of the desired casting from wax, wood, metal, sand, or other materials. Before patternmaking can begin, a drawing must be prepared that details the exact shape and measurements required for the finished product. Once this blueprint is complete, patterns are created to replicate it exactly. This includes anyone unique features of cutouts or holes that need to be machined into the final cast. After being made, patterns are typically inspected and tested to ensure they comply with any necessary quality standards before moving on to the next stage of production. Coremaking follows patternmaking as part of the casting process and involves creating cores out of sand that will be used to form hollow portions inside of casts. Cores can range greatly in complexity and size depending on their intended use and should be accurately machined based on requirements specified by drawings. The next step in casting is molding; once all patterns and cores have been created they are combined with box molds into a large assembly called "the flask." This flask contains both reusable components (e.g., patterns) and consumable components (e.g., core boxes). Lastly, molten metal is poured into this setup, where it fills up its assigned areas completely before being cooled down and removed from molds for finishing as required for its intended use. All together, these steps make up a basic overview of how a Casting Process works.