A system for detecting metal contraction in a mold, comprising: a mold for receiving and containing metal, the mold comprising a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a plurality of walls spanning between the first side and the second side; characterized in that the system further comprises: a camera facing the first side of the mold and having a field of vision including at least a portion of the first side of the mold; a light source facing the second side of the mold for emitting light directed toward the second side of the mold, the emitted light visible to the camera through the first side of the mold when the metal is separated from at least one of the plurality of walls; wherein the system is configured to: detect light visible between the at least one of the plurality of walls and the metal based at least in part on data from the camera; and determine whether separation of the metal from the at least one of the plurality of walls has occurred based at least in part on the light detected as visible between the at least one of the plurality of walls and the metal, wherein the first side of the mold is an open top for receiving the metal and the second side of the mold is an open bottom allowing the metal to exit the mold or wherein the first side of the mold is an open bottom allowing metal to exit the mold and the second side of the mold is an open top for receiving the metal. a mold for receiving and containing metal, the mold comprising a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a plurality of walls spanning between the first side and the second side; characterized in that the system further comprises: a camera facing the first side of the mold and having a field of vision including at least a portion of the first side of the mold; a light source facing the second side of the mold for emitting light directed toward the second side of the mold, the emitted light visible to the camera through the first side of the mold when the metal is separated from at least one of the plurality of walls; wherein the system is configured to: detect light visible between the at least one of the plurality of walls and the metal based at least in part on data from the camera; and determine whether separation of the metal from the at least one of the plurality of walls has occurred based at least in part on the light detected as visible between the at least one of the plurality of walls and the metal, wherein the first side of the mold is an open top for receiving the metal and the second side of the mold is an open bottom allowing the metal to exit the mold or wherein the first side of the mold is an open bottom allowing metal to exit the mold and the second side of the mold is an open top for receiving the metal. a camera facing the first side of the mold and having a field of vision including at least a portion of the first side of the mold; a light source facing the second side of the mold for emitting light directed toward the second side of the mold, the emitted light visible to the camera through the first side of the mold when the metal is separated from at least one of the plurality of walls; wherein the system is configured to: detect light visible between the at least one of the plurality of walls and the metal based at least in part on data from the camera; and determine whether separation of the metal from the at least one of the plurality of walls has occurred based at least in part on the light detected as visible between the at least one of the plurality of walls and the metal, detect light visible between the at least one of the plurality of walls and the metal based at least in part on data from the camera; and determine whether separation of the metal from the at least one of the plurality of walls has occurred based at least in part on the light detected as visible between the at least one of the plurality of walls and the metal, wherein the first side of the mold is an open top for receiving the metal and the second side of the mold is an open bottom allowing the metal to exit the mold or wherein the first side of the mold is an open bottom allowing metal to exit the mold and the second side of the mold is an open top for receiving the metal.