Apparatus and method for semi-solid material production

Apparatus for directly producing a component from a semi-solid material, the apparatus comprising:

• a container for receiving a material therein, at least a portion of the material initially being in a molten state;
• a thermal control system comprising a heating segment for controlling temperature of the material in the container;
• and
• an agitating device disposed in the container for continuously mechanically mixing substantially all of the material in the container simultaneously, the agitating device comprising a first mixing means disposed proximate to at least a portion of an interior surface of the container for shearing dendrites from the interior surface and a second mixing means for providing vertical mixing, so as to continuously shear substantially all of the material in the container in order to produce a substantially isothermal semi-solid material therefrom, wherein the container defines an orifice through which a portion of the semi-solid material can be removed from the container for producing the component.