Performance improvements of a new filling system for aluminium ingot casting resulting from a combination of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamic (SPH) modelling and pilot scale testing are reported in this paper. The SPH modelling was used as the primary design tool, passing through several design iterations to understand the flow fundamentals and to progressively improve performance. The best concept from the simulation design stage was then refined through a detailed programme of pilot scale testing and a final round of SPH simulation. The results of this development programme will be described, with the new wheel design now able to operate at 50% higher throughput with an expected reduction in the oxide content by about 53% compared to that of the original design.