Molds are the silent force behind the scenes, unnoticed but essential.

Their task is to faithfully convert the ideas for Kameyama models drawn by designers into tangible form.
But it's not only the shape or form. Designers demand that molds also deal with the impression of quality, tactile feel, and even the grace and tastefulness of the overall design.

The premium AQUOS R Series, which pursued image quality, audio quality and design to the fullest, adopted a "piano black finish" that looked like lacquering. Achieving that degree of luster started with the selection of the material for the mold itself and reached its ultimate perfection thanks to an unprecedented level of mold technology up to the final polishing process finished by human hands.

"Beauty in Japan takes the form of very simple shapes like those represented, for example, in the rooms used for traditional tea ceremonies. It is precisely this Japanese aesthetic that the AQUOS expresses. Reproducing the simple but taut lines proved to be extremely difficult work."

What Mr. Tamura feels as a representative of the mold division is Sharp's passion toward product engineering.

"The mechanical system designer faithfully conveys the intention of the product designer while selecting environmentally friendly materials; he pursues product engineering worthy of Sharp while keeping product safety in mind. Therefore, it is always his passion that is conveyed to us. I think the work of my molds is to make those ideas tangible in the product."

Mr. Tamura says that a part of what it means to be a Sharp product can be seen on the backside of the AQUOS.

"Did you know that there's a rippled wave design on the back of the cabinet? It was extremely difficult to produce those beautiful lines with their peaks and troughs. In the store where these sets are sold, there are many opportunities to see the TV from the front, and I don't know how many customers take the time to look at the back. However, being so focused on design is what Sharp is all about. If we hadn't continued to focus on the total design, not only the front-side design, I don't think that we would have been able to get the elegant, high-end appearance that the AQUOS has."

New technologies are commercialized as quickly as possible.

For this reason, improvements in molds are demanded on a daily basis. It is also important to pursue not only shorter times for fabricating the molds, but also shorter molding times when making products using the mold.

"Being able to shorten the molding time by, for example, even one second per piece becomes significant in terms of total time when that mold is being used to make several hundreds of thousands of pieces. Shortening the molding time also means a reduction in the amount of the electric power consumed, and contributes to reduced environmental impacts."

Even for TVs having the same shape, if the type of plastic raw material (resin) changes, the ability of a mold to accommodate it also changes.

After using computers to analyze temperature distribution and the flow properties of the resin, and using the latest precision equipment to machine the mold, the delicate final steps are performed by human hands so that the resin fills the mold smoothly and evenly.

Molds fall in the realm where leading-edge technology merges with artisanal craftsmanship.

"Pooling wisdom and ingenuity is important for an organization. The ideas of product designers and mechanical system designers cannot be given shape if our thorough commitment to product engineering is lacking. The evolution of design also drives the evolution of technology."

Mr. Tamura grew up in a home that was actually a small family-run factory. Molds were a part of his life since birth.
Since he was a child, he had always helped out with the work. But he laughs, "I wanted to get experience in another type of work and so I joined Sharp, but no way did I expect to be doing molds..."

"But," he says, "the product engineering that lies behind making molds appears complicated, but when you look closely, it turns out the individual pieces are extremely simple shapes. This is something that runs through the world of Japanese aesthetics."

When he said these words, his face was that of a "master builder," burning with a passion more intense than anyone else.