foundry

Meanings

1. A facility that melts metals in special furnaces and pours the molten metal into molds to make products. Foundries are usually specified according to the type of metal dealt with: iron foundry, brass foundry, etc.
2. The act, process, or art of casting metals; founding.
3. A plant that produces chips out of semiconductors in the microelectronics industry.

Etymology

From French fonderie. By surface analysis, found (“to melt (metals)”) + -ry (“place; process”).