Casting apparatus and casting method

The invention provides a casting apparatus (10) for continuous or semi-continuous casting of a cast product (35) comprising a reservoir (15) for supplying liquid metal (20), wherein the liquid metal (20) is liquid aluminium or aluminium alloy and the cast product (35) is an aluminium or aluminium alloy product, a direct chill casting mold (25) having a mold cavity (30) for at least temporarily holding liquid metal (20) and to at least partially solidify the liquid metal (20) into a cast product (35), wherein a flow path (55) for the liquid metal (20) is defined between the reservoir (15) and the mold cavity (30), and wherein the casting apparatus (10) is configured such that the liquid metal (20) has a tendency to flow along the flow path (55) from the reservoir (15) into the mold cavity (30) by gravity (g), wherein the liquid metal (20) enters the mold cavity (30) via a first vertically higher side (26) of the mold (25), and wherein the cast product (35) exits the mold (25) via a second vertically lower side (27) of the mold (25), and a pump (60) disposed on the flow path (55) between the reservoir (15) and the mold cavity (30), wherein the pump (60) is operable to generate a force in the liquid metal (20) that is acting against the tendency of the liquid metal (20) to flow along the flow path (55) from the reservoir (15) into the mold cavity (30) by gravity (g) to control a flow of the liquid metal (20) from the reservoir (15) into the mold cavity (30), wherein the pump (60) is a direct current electromagnetic pump, wherein a flow diverter (90) is provided on the flow path (55) downstream of the pump (60) to direct at least a portion of the liquid metal (20) in a predetermined direction in the mold cavity (30); the apparatus and method of the invention enable the control of a flow of liquid metal with greater precision and less turbulence, thereby improving the quality of the cast product.