Key Features:

• Rapid cooling: Water is sprayed and/or circulated around the mold for fast cooling and solidification to avoid the development of internal defects.
• Improved quality of metal: This minimizes segregation and porosity, producing stronger and more uniform metal structures.
• Industrial practice: Commonly used for the production of aluminum, magnesium, and copper alloys; the ingots are further processed into sheets, plates, or extrusions. 

To summarize, the main point of DC is to produce high-grade metal ingots with minimal defects. It finds extensive application in the aluminum industry to produce materials with high mechanical properties. Innovations in casting techniques have boosted the efficiency and consistency of the products.