Process and apparatus for melting and casting of metals in a mold

Process for melting and casting metal, said process comprising

• providing a crucible having an open end and a bottom, said crucible having therein a metal to be melted,
• providing a casting chamber having a surrounding wall and a downward facing opening, said casting chamber having therein a mold made of a porous material,
• providing a hollow shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation, said hollow shaft rotatably bearing said crucible and said casting chamber, said hollow shaft being a suction line having one end connected to a vacuum pump and another end communicating with said casting chamber via a first additional suction line, and with a housing below said crucible bottom via a second additional suction line with a valve therein, for evacuation of said crucible and said casting chamber so as to provide a vacuum atmosphere in said crucible and in said casting chamber,
• placing said casting chamber with said opening sealingly on said open end of said crucible,
• jointly evacuating said crucible through said hollow shaft and said second additional suction line and said housing below said crucible bottom and, said casting chamber, and said mold through said hollow shaft and said first additional suction line and said porous mold material,
• inductively melting said metal in said crucible by means of an induction coil located outside said vacuum atmosphere, and
• jointly tilting said crucible, said casting chamber and said mold by said hollow shaft through an angle of 180 degrees about a horizontal axis to a casting position so that said metal pours from said crucible into said mold while maintaining vacuum.