SHOTTING APPARATUS AND PROCESS

Disclosed is a shotting apparatus which comprises a chamber for containing a molten material and a plate with a plurality of orifices through which the molten material can pass to form droplets, wherein the molten material in the chamber first contacts the top surface of the plate and wherein the bottom surface of the plate contains protrusions through which the orifices extend, the length of each protrusion being at least 50 percent of the total length of the orifice passing through the protrusion, wherein the apparatus is of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide and an alloy comprising nickel in an amount of from about 50 to about 70 percent by weight, molybdenum in an amount of from about 11 to about 22 percent by weight, chromium in an amount of from about 11 to about 22 percent by weight, iron in an amount of from 0 to about 10 percent by weight, tungsten in an amount of from 0 to about 10 percent by weight, manganese in an amount of from 0 to about 1 percent by weight, and silicon in an amount of from 0 to about 1 percent by weight. Also disclosed is a process which comprises providing the above shotting apparatus, introducing a molten material into the shotting apparatus, allowing the molten material to pass through the orifices to form droplets, and cooling the droplets thus formed to a temperature at which the droplets are solid.