Craftworks Co., Ltd. undertakes the design and manufacturing of machinery commissioned by research institutions such as universities. Most of these are things that do not yet exist in the world.

“Originally, we received many requests for machine tools, but now we get more requests related to autonomous vehicles and robots.”

Such requests sometimes come not only from universities but also from companies.

Bridgestone's soft robotic hand is one such example.
This soft robotic hand, which can gently grasp objects by utilizing the softness of rubber, was designed and manufactured by incorporating all requirements.

“Our clients are satisfied with our robots, and we continue to receive ongoing requests.”

In most cases, when requests come to Craftworks Co., Ltd., “there isn't even a simple drawing.” We elicit the client's vision, such as “I want it to be able to do this” or “I want to add this function,” verbalize it, and then translate it into a design drawing.

“We sometimes propose solutions to what the client wants to achieve.”

He also mentioned that they once proposed lightweighting using a 3D printer because producing the requested item exactly as specified would make it too heavy.

“When we received a request to reproduce the movement of human bones, we designed a mechanism that moves with tendons, just like humans, instead of inserting an axis into the bone and fixing it.”

When generating such ideas, Ito first considers existing methods.
Then, he continues to think about how to improve them or if there are alternative approaches.

“Especially in the case of universities, novelty is often required, so we consciously seek new ideas.
However, for corporate clients, we prioritize meeting their requirements, even if it means using more conventional methods.”

The foundation for generating these ideas is daily accumulation.
They actively incorporate various information and constantly check trends related to machinery.

It is a job of creating things from scratch, but a foundation of extensive knowledge and experience is required for that “scratch.”

Craftworks Co., Ltd. newly developed and began selling beer brewing equipment.
It started when Taiho Co., Ltd. opened a restaurant where customers could enjoy craft beer brewed in-house.

“I had known Taiho Co., Ltd. for a long time, so I helped them with the delivery of beer brewing equipment when they opened their first beer restaurant.”

The beer brewing equipment introduced at that time was from a famous European manufacturer.
A compact brewing machine was needed to set up a brewery alongside the restaurant, but Japanese-made brewing machines were only available in large sizes of 1,000L or more.

“We had to handle everything ourselves, including transportation arrangements and installation, which was very difficult. Furthermore, it was hard to get immediate support if any issues arose.”

Seeing the overseas-made beer brewing equipment, Ito decided to manufacture Japanese-made beer brewing equipment at Craftworks Co., Ltd.
Around that time, Taiho Co., Ltd., which was planning to open a second beer restaurant, approached them. This inquiry about whether they could produce a compact beer brewing machine led to the full-scale commencement of manufacturing.

Craftworks Co., Ltd. researched overseas-made beer brewing equipment and began designing a new brewing machine by improving inconvenient aspects.
The first consideration was a space-saving design that could be installed even in a restaurant's backyard.

“Under Japan's Liquor Tax Act, annual production of 6kL or more is required. Therefore, we made it a 150L size, which allows starting from the minimum annual brewing volume.”

Not only did they reduce the tank size, but they also streamlined various components.
Furthermore, they succeeded in consolidating the two tanks found in overseas models into one, and also filed a patent application.

Overseas models filter yeast and sediments by moving liquid between two tanks.
This process requires reattaching piping, taking a full day to complete.

'tinyJbrew' achieves streamlining by having a single tank. Moreover, since no piping work is required, the operation time could be reduced to about half a day.
Additionally, the filtration accuracy is higher than that of overseas models.

“If filtration isn't done well, off-flavors remain. Although the filtration accuracy has improved, we aim to further enhance it in the future.”

They also devised innovations for temperature control, which can be called the key to beer brewing.
In beer brewing, fermentation is adjusted by raising or lowering the temperature inside the tank. This adjustment changes the taste of the beer.

It was designed to quickly raise the temperature to the target and make temperature control easier.
This made it easier for brewers to manage temperature to achieve their desired taste.

“The brewing machine's design team also went through trial and error to complete 'tinyJbrew'.”

Ito feels a great sense of accomplishment with the completion of 'tinyJbrew'.

“I believe the beer actually brewed with 'tinyJbrew' is delicious. I think this is because it makes it easy for brewers to adjust to achieve their envisioned beer taste.”

Ito intends to actively sell this compact beer brewing machine 'tinyJbrew' in the future.

“I believe it can be utilized not only by those who want to brew craft beer on a small scale but also for trial brewing by major beer manufacturers.”

By selling 'tinyJbrew', their in-house product, they aim to create an environment where they can continue to receive work from research institutions.

“The field of basic research is crucial for improving the world in the future. We are proud to be able to contribute to it. To continue this, products that form the foundation of company operations are also necessary.”

They cultivate the ability to give shape to ideas through work with research institutions and leverage that ability to create new products. For Craftworks Co., Ltd., the research field and the in-house product field are both indispensable, like two wheels.