The shell mold is then placed into a flask and supported by a backing material. Pouring - The mold is securely clamped together while the molten metal is poured from a ladle into the gating system and fills the mold cavity. Cooling - After the mold has been filled, the molten metal is allowed to cool and solidify into the shape of the final casting. Casting removal - After the molten metal has cooled, the mold can be broken and the casting removed. Trimming and cleaning processes are required to remove any excess metal from the feed system and any sand from the mold. Examples of shell molded items include gear housings, cylinder heads and connecting rods. It is also used to make high-precision molding cores. The process of creating a shell mold consists of six steps:   The machine that is used for this process is called a "shell molding machine". It heats the pattern, applies the sand mixture, and bakes the shell. Setup and production of shell mold patterns takes weeks, after which an output of 5–50 pieces/hr-mold is attainable. Common materials include cast iron, aluminum and copper alloys. Aluminum and magnesium products average about as a normal limit, but it is possible to cast items in the range. The small end of the limit is . Depending on the material, the thinnest cross-section castable is . The minimum draft is 0.25 to 0.5 degrees. Typical tolerances are 0.005 mm/mm or in/in because the sand compound is designed to barely shrink and a metal pattern is used. The cast surface finish is 0.3–4.0 micrometers (50–150 μin) because a finer sand is used. The resin also assists in forming a very smooth surface. The process, in general, produces very consistent castings from one casting to the next. The sand-resin mix can be recycled by burning off the resin at high temperatures. Cylinder heads, connecting rods, Engine blocks and manifolds, machine bases.  http://www.custompartnet.com/wu/shell-mold-casting.  https://thelibraryofmanufacturing.com/shell_mold_casting.html  https://monroeengineering.com/blog/what-is-shell-molding/