T-Rex uses computer-aided design to create toys

Young Japanese toy design studio uses computer based approach to design and create their products.

Toy maker T-Rex director Keiichiro Maeno told Forbes that they want to focus on computer-aided design (CAD) in creating their toys. Their company is still small, but they have already designed for a lot of brands like Macross and other gaming related toys. The company was created in 2008 and it aims to make toy designing easier and in-line with their skill sets.

"In that sense, our main focus is CAD as none of the people here could really sculpt the toys we design by hand. The computer based approach also tends to be more useful in terms of the resultant manufacturing when it gets to the factory," said Maeno.

"Currently our output is about 70% toys and 30% model kits. Most of these are mecha designs from the 80s but recently we've started to get work for various anime in pre-production and games too. Therefore, we get the design work from the beginning and work with the production to design the toys. Though, around 20% of the stuff we design doesn't actually get released."

Toys aren't the only products that can use CAD. It can be used for a host of other products small of big. One example is the Pilatus Aircraft Ltd., which Assembly wrote that it owes its success to ECAD or electrical computer aided design. Through this technology, they can optimize the efficiently of their aircraft's electrical system.

CAD is also used for 3-D printing, which according to Business is a technology that allows people to create objects by creating a digital file through the software. The CAD digital images will be sliced into 2-D representations, which will then be fed into a printer that will develop the item layer by layer. 3-D printing is originally for rapid prototyping development, but its application now is expanding to various aspects and markets.

Meanwhile, the toy making process is a mystery for most people. This is especially true in Japan, where making toys is complex and sophisticated. However, with CAD, it seems like T-Rex has found a way to make toy making more efficient, easier and fun.