The influence of important process parameters like the size of the mould, crystallization rate and slight tilting of the mould (1-3 degrees) on the shape of the solid-liquid interface is studied for an industrial silicon ingot casting process by 3D time-dependent simulations using the software package STHAMAS3D. It turns out that melt convection has such strong influence on the results that it must be considered in the simulations. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.