The production of ball type ingots started in 1979 in Akita Refinery. Up to the present, several improvements and modifications on the ball ingots casting technology including casting machine have been applied.

• 秋田精炼厂于 1979年开始生产球形锭到目前为止 ,对包括铸锭机在内的球形锭浇铸技术做了若干改进与更新。