a method and an apparatus are provided for electromagnetic stirring during a continuous casting process , especially for casting a billet and bloom of medium and high carbon steels . the method and apparatus provide a higher surface quality of the ingot , reduce the entrapping of nonmetallic inclusions into the ingot , and suppress issues regarding central segregation and central porosity . the method provides an improvement in the stirring process from the meniscus to the crater end — and relates to in - mold stirring and stirring in a zone of secondary cooling and up to the crater end . the in - mold stirring is geared towards the suppression of meniscus disturbance , for submerged casting , in particular , the reducing of helical and axial velocity components of the molten steel , the lowering of the initial solidification point to avoid the touching of a shell edge with the slag ring , and a decrease of oscillation marks .