Definition
A metal casting process in which molten metal is poured continuously into a water-cooled mold, where it solidifies into a long bar, slab, or billet that is drawn out of the bottom of the mold as more molten metal is added at the top. The process produces a uniform, fine-grained metal stock used as raw material for further forming or machining.
Plain English
A way of making metal stock by pouring liquid metal into a cooled mold that has no bottom, so a solid bar comes out one end while more liquid metal is added at the other. It runs without stopping, producing long, even lengths of metal.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft materials, metallurgy, and manufacturing descriptions for metal stock used to make aircraft parts.
Derivation
Continuous comes from the Latin continuus, meaning 'uninterrupted' or 'joined together.' Casting refers to forming metal by pouring it molten into a mold. Together: a casting process that runs without stopping, rather than producing one part at a time.
Analogy
Think of a soft-serve ice cream machine: liquid goes in the top, a solid shape comes out the bottom, and the process runs continuously rather than producing one cone at a time.
Intuition Check
Continuous casting does not mean the final aircraft part is made in one endless piece. It means the raw metal shape is formed in a steady flow, then cut and worked into usable material.
Example Sentence 1
The aluminum billets used to machine the engine mount fittings were produced by continuous casting.
Example Sentence 2
Mechanics inspected the continuous casting stock before machining it into landing gear parts.