An ingot, having a volume between 0.15 m.sup.3 and 0.80 m.sup.3 and a surface area to volume ratio between 10 m.sup.?1 and 18 m.sup.?1, made of at least one metal, having longitudinal faces extending between two end faces and including at least one hole extending from one of the longitudinal faces, the maximum distance between any point of the hole periphery, to its closest longitudinal face, noted MaxL, the at least one hole being configured such that said maximum distance MaxL is smaller than the minimal distance, noted MinE, between any point of the hole periphery and its closest end face.

An ingot, having a volume between 0.15 m.sup.3 and 0.80 m.sup.3 and a surface area to volume ratio between 10 m.sup.?1 and 18 m.sup.?1, made of at least one metal, having longitudinal faces extending between two end faces and including at least one hole extending from one of the longitudinal faces, the maximum distance between any point of the hole periphery, to its closest longitudinal face, noted MaxL, the at least one hole being configured such that said maximum distance MaxL is smaller than the minimal distance, noted MinE, between any point of the hole periphery and its closest end face.

A method for casting comprising: providing a seed, the seed characterized by: an arcuate form and a crystalline orientation progressively varying along an arc of the form; providing molten material; and cooling and solidifying the molten material so that a crystalline structure of the seed propagates into the solidifying material.

A method for casting comprising: providing a seed, the seed characterized by: an arcuate form and a crystalline orientation progressively varying along an arc of the form; providing molten material; and cooling and solidifying the molten material so that a crystalline structure of the seed propagates into the solidifying material.

A molding device for vacuum casting a metal ingot is provided. The mold includes a mold cavity defined by an ingot mold, a core and a bottom. The mold is arranged inside a vacuum-cast enclosure and includes a source of introducing molten metal at the upper portion thereof. A distribution device for receiving and distributing molten metal, which is suitable for receiving the molten steel introduced into the vacuum-cast enclosure and for redistributing the molten metal in the mold cavity, is arranged at the upper portion of the mold cavity. The molten metal is introduced into the enclosure so as to form a first jet of molten steel under a vacuum, in order to pour the molten metal over the distribution device and to form at least one second jet of molten steel under a vacuum, which originates with the distribution device and terminates in the mold cavity so as to fill the mold cavity with molten metal.

A molding device for vacuum casting a metal ingot is provided. The mold includes a mold cavity defined by an ingot mold, a core and a bottom. The mold is arranged inside a vacuum-cast enclosure and includes a source of introducing molten metal at the upper portion thereof. A distribution device for receiving and distributing molten metal, which is suitable for receiving the molten steel introduced into the vacuum-cast enclosure and for redistributing the molten metal in the mold cavity, is arranged at the upper portion of the mold cavity. The molten metal is introduced into the enclosure so as to form a first jet of molten steel under a vacuum, in order to pour the molten metal over the distribution device and to form at least one second jet of molten steel under a vacuum, which originates with the distribution device and terminates in the mold cavity so as to fill the mold cavity with molten metal.