Japanese Cutting-Edge
Solutions for Metalworking
Japanese Cutting-Edge
Solutions for Metalworking
Exhibition
September 16, 2025
By: Masanobu Nishizuka, Staff Editor, SEISANZAI Japan
In the second installment of SEISANZAI Japan’s medical technology series, we spotlight SAYAMA MOLD MANUFACTURING (Iruma, Saitama; CEO: Soichiro Oba), a company that has successfully transitioned its precision moldmaking expertise from electronics to healthcare applications. At MECT 2025 (MECHATRONICS TECHNOLOGY JAPAN 2025; October 22–25, Port Messe Nagoya), SAYAMA will demonstrate advanced injection molding techniques developed specifically for medical applications, showcasing both the intricate microchannels essential for drug discovery and a groundbreaking automation system that promises to revolutionize molding processes.
Executive Director Yutaro Oba highlights the sample workpiece as a showcase of SAYAMA MOLD’s technologies
While cutting demonstrations are commonplace at machine tool exhibitions, live demonstrations of injection molding with precision molds are exceptionally rare. MECT 2025 offers visitors a unique opportunity to witness state-of-the-art mold and molding technologies in action, as SAYAMA collaborates with FANUC to demonstrate injection molding under the theme “Craftsmanship of a mold manufacturer applied to medical field.”
The demonstration centers on molding a 2mm-thick sample plate incorporating multiple microchannel configurations—structures that have become essential for medical and life science applications. When combined with a backing film, the molded sample becomes a functional experimental device.
Image showing an example of reagent flow in the molded microchannel plate
SAYAMA’s entry into the medical sector reflects broader industry trends toward ethical research practices. Executive Director Yutaro Oba explains: “In pharmaceutical development, animal testing is increasingly restricted for ethical reasons. This has accelerated demand for microphysiological systems (MPS), particularly in Europe and the United States, where experimental devices replicate capillary networks and organ structures through microchannels and complex designs.”
The company, which built its reputation on precision molds for electronic components and semiconductor-related parts, recognized that its microfabrication expertise could address this growing market. Since formally entering the medical industry in 2009, SAYAMA has progressed from inspection kit components to treatment devices that interface directly with the human body, including vascular implants.
The sample workpiece demonstrates SAYAMA’s technical capabilities through multiple challenging features integrated into a single transparent resin plate:
Two parallel microchannels, each 0.1mm wide, intersect in a cross pattern. The corner radius at the intersection measures just 0.015mm.
The plate incorporates two luer ports molded in one shot—features typically added in post-processing due to resin filling challenges. These ports, which enable fluid injection and extraction, include holes only 0.3mm in diameter formed with ultra-fine pins. Maintaining pin straightness under high injection pressure required proprietary mold design and process know-how.
To replicate how fluids distribute through living organs, the sample includes sloped microchannels ranging in depth from 0.1mm to 1mm. Achieving such fine structures while maintaining transparency throughout the entire plate highlights the company’s mastery of both mold design and processing parameters.
“We condensed our advanced capabilities into this sample workpiece” says Executive Director Oba with confidence.
The demonstration sample plate. Left: integrated luer ports; Right: cross-section of intersecting microchannels. Gate cutting is fully automated.
Side view of the complex channel structure. Left: sloped microchannel; Right: hole with 300 μm diameter.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the demonstration is SAYAMA’s automated gate-cutting system, developed in collaboration with FANUC and currently under patent application. This innovation addresses a universal challenge in injection molding: removing the runner material that serves as the resin flow path during filling but becomes unnecessary waste after molding.
In conventional molding, runners are typically cut off in a separate post-processing step. SAYAMA’s breakthrough approach integrates this operation directly into the molding cycle through an audacious concept:
1. A FANUC collaborative robot removes the molded part from the mold
2. The mold incorporates cutting blades in a separate location from the molding section, plus guide recesses for robot hand positioning
3. With the molded part still held in the robot hand, the system transitions to the next mold-closing cycle for forming the next workpiece
4. As the mold closes, the robot hand follows the guide recesses, ensuring precise positioning every cycle
5. The cutting blades close and perform gate cutting while the robot hand is actually positioned inside the closing mold
6. After gate cutting, only 0.02mm of runner remains, achieving exceptional precision
From an external view, it appears the mold is closing with the robot hand clamped inside—a concept that challenges conventional thinking about molding automation.
“We developed this jointly with FANUC, but even we were surprised by the idea of clamping the robot hand together with the mold,” recalls Executive Director Oba.
While the demonstration focuses on medical applications, both technologies offer significant potential across multiple industries. According to SAYAMA, microchannels and micro-scale components are experiencing growing demand centered around MPS applications in medical and life science fields. Additionally, these fluid-handling capabilities open possibilities for alternative energy source research as replacements for petroleum-based systems, since they can be used for liquid experiments. The automated gate-cutting technology, meanwhile, can be applied broadly across all resin molding applications.
Drawing on these diverse applications, Executive Director Oba concludes: “We believe there are many aspects that can serve as references for processing applications beyond medical uses. While we certainly welcome medical professionals, we hope visitors from a wide range of industries will come see what we’re doing.”
– Dates: October 22–25, 2025
– Venue: Port Messe Nagoya
– Program: Live injection molding demonstrations in collaboration with FANUC (by SAYAMA)
– Location: Exhibition Hall 3, Concept Zone
– Demonstration Schedule:
Oct 22-23: 11:00 / 13:30 / 15:30
Oct 24: 11:00 / 13:00 / 15:30
Oct 25: 11:00 / 14:00
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