There is a great deal of mechanization in modern foundries. Among their contents is all the equipment and machinery used to make patterns and cores, cast metal, and mold plastic. There are melting furnaces of various sizes, ladles, forklifts, cranes, conveyors, and transfer vessels in that assortment. It is specially designed for melting shop heat so that all foundry equipment functions reliably.

Non-ferrous foundries (aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, etc.) differ from ferrous foundries in that they work with metals other than iron or steel. Foundries specializing in copper may use induction furnaces while those specializing in steel will use electric arc furnaces. A furnace can be as small as a tabletop unit, or as large as a several-ton unit. A fraction of an ounce up to several tons of product can be produced. The same variability in model and size extends to pattern-making and molding machines, and most other foundry equipment.