Molding  is a manufacturing process that involves shaping a liquid or malleable raw material by using a fixed frame; known as either a mold or a matrix. The mold is generally a hollow cavity receptacle, commonly made of metal, where liquid plastic, metal, ceramic, or glass material is poured.In most cases, the mold is derived from the initial pattern or template of the final object; its main objective is to reproduce multiple uniform copies of the final product. As the liquid cools and hardens inside the mold, the final configuration is achieved. Its removal is facilitated by the use of a release agent or ejection pins.We are surrounded by both ordinary and complex objects that were manufactured as a result of the molding manufacturing process. Molding has occurred throughout the millennia. Evidence of its usage has been discovered dating as far back as the Bronze Age, where stones were used as molds to produce spear tips.

Modern molding processes include plastic injection molding, Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) molding, overmolding, and insert molding. Customized prototypes and end-use parts are produced with the plastic injection molding process. The standard process eliminates the use of embedded heating or cooling lines within the molds so that molders, also known as molding technicians, can carefully monitor fill pressure, aesthetics, and overall part quality.