Apparatus and process for producing metal products, in which a metal-containing charge material is melted in a melting unit, and a working gas, in particular an at least partially reducing working gas, is additionally produced in the melting unit. In the motor torque calculating step, motor torque is calculated from the angular velocity of rotation of the motor. This produces an audio-visual experience which is nearly indistinguishable from the live event for specially situated attendees. The state diagnostic device 202 also uses the intermediate state data 103a to make a fault determination in the determined transient operating state. The raw materials thus mixed are put in a BN crucible, and retainedfired for 3 hours at 1700\xb0 C. The method is useful in an application such as for ground-to-space links at Short Wave Infrared wavelengths.