The working principle and the peculiarities of new electromagnetic rhe
ocasters, which are based on the use of rotating permanent magnets and
which allow the production of intense three-dimensional multiphase fl
ows in solidifying semi-solid alloy slurries and metal matrix composit
es, are described. These processes are likely to be applied to the dir
ect continuous casting of billets, tubes and slabs. They are also char
acterized by a very low electric power consumption. Local measurement
techniques are applied to the study of the evolution of the fluid flow
phenomena with the rotation speed of the inductor, the solid fraction
, and the size and volume percent of SiC particles. A discussion is pr
esented relating the metallurgical findings to the heat and fluid flow
measurements. Satisfactory performances concerning the microstructure
of solidified aluminum slurries and aluminum matrix composites (homog
eneity, crystal shape, grain size, fraction of primary solid, distribu
tion of SiC particles) were obtained.