Patent ID: 7470305

Claim:
A method comprising the steps of: pouring in alternating fashion a first portion of molten material from a main hearth via a first overflow thereof into a first mold to produce a first molded body and a second portion of the molten material from the main hearth via a second overflow in opposed relation to the first overflow into a second mold to produce a second molded body; and igniting a non-consumable direct arc electrode to form an arc extending downwardly from an ignition end thereof to the molten material in the main hearth; igniting a plasma torch which is separate from the direct arc electrode to form a plasma plume extending downwardly from an ignition end of the plasma torch to the molten material in the main hearth; heating the molten material in the main hearth with the arc of the non-consumable direct arc electrode and the plume of the plasma torch.