The jargon post on May 1st was rather popular!
Jargon in the Figure Industry:
http://mikatan.goodsmile.info/en/2013/05/01/jargon-in-the-figure-industry/
There were too many words to include in just one post so I only went through some of them, but even so I received a lot of messages from fans who learnt something from the post! Because of that, I decided I’d do a part two much sooner than I originally anticipated! (`･ω･´)
Today’s lecturer is once again Tori Bird!
Thank you once again, sensei! (`･ω･´)
By the time this blog post is upped, I believe he’ll be away visiting China… he’s always so busy, so I feel bad asking him to help with these posts all the time!
Just like last time, all the explanations are filtered by the Mikatan filter, so anything that’s too complex has been left out, but all the important info is still in tact! If you’re a part of the industry and think something isn’t quite explained right, let me know! I also included the Japanese words beside the English this time for those who are interested!
Mould ★★☆☆☆ (Kanagata)
| This refers to the iron or other metal ‘template’ used to mass-produce figures. The moulds are made for each part separately based off the prototype. There are normally around 5-10 moulds for each Nendoroid, while a scale figure will have between 7-20 different moulds. For a more specific example, the 1/8th scale Ultimate Madoka made use of 13 moulds.
Generally speaking these moulds can be used any number of times once they’ve been made, however sometimes when used too often, the metal can deteriorate causing the finer details of the sculpt to fall away. The previously mentioned T-1, T-2 and so on are used to make adjustments to the mould. Example Use: “These tips look too dull, lets adjust the mould a little to fix them!” More Info: http://ameblo.jp/gsc-mikatan-e/entry-10730147929.html |
Injection Moulding Machine ★★★★★ (Shashutsuseikeiki)
| Melted PVC & ABS is poured into a mould which is placed inside the Injection Moulding Machine, where it is then cooled to allow it to take the right form. Each one of these machines is manned by 1-2 people, who open up the door and take out each part for each figure as it completes.
Even though the contents are cooled, they are actually still very hot when they first come out of the machine – sometimes water is poured over to prevent the shape from changing once the process is complete. Example Use: “Try saying ‘Shashutsuseikeiki’ (Injection Moulding Machine) three times fast!” More Info: http://ameblo.jp/gsc-mikatan-e/entry-10731094688.html |
Cast Color ★★★☆☆ (Seikeishoku)
| This refers to an unpainted cast created by the Injection Casting Machine. Parts that are skin-colored such as expression parts are often simply left unpainted as they are already the right color, and by not adding a layer of paint, unevenness can be avoided. There’s also no risk of paints rubbing off on other parts.
Example Use: “Let’s just leave these parts as the cast color!” More Info: http://ameblo.jp/gsc-mikatan-e/entry-10736119736.html |
AQL Inspection ★★★★★ (AQL Kensa)
| AQL stands for ‘Acceptable Quality Level’. During the AQL inspection, products go through a quality check and the number of defective parts must be under a certain pre-determined percentage.
Example Use: “Once the AQL inspection is done we can ship out!” |
China Southern Airlines ★★★☆☆
(Chuugoku Nanpou Kuukou)
| An airline company that can quickly and cheaply provide tickets for urgent business trips to China for the manufacturing team. It also goes by the nickname “Chuunan”.
Example Use: “I’m headed to China tomorrow through Chuunan!” |
PO ★★★☆☆
| Short for ‘Purchase Order’. Refers to the decided amount of each product that will be made. Without a PO in place and established with the factory, mass production of that figure simply cannot begin.
Example Use: “Hurry up and get the PO done!” “The PO should be done by the end of the month.” |
Draft Angle ★★★★★ (Nukikoubai)
| In order to take the products out of the mould smoothly, some parts need to have a specific angle of inclination known as the draft angle. By adding this draft angle, the parts can be removed from the mould with much less friction and thus prevent unnecessary scratches or abrasions – all in all allowing for a higher quality part.
This angle of inclination is generally not even 1mm, making it very difficult to make out with the naked eye. Products that use a Draft Angle: Nendoroid Stands, graphig expression parts, bumps on Mechawooser, etc. |
Surface Texturing ★★★★★ (Shibokakou)
| This refers to the process of creating a fine texture (such as slight bumps) within the mould, in order to recreate that same texture on the final product. Sometimes this process makes use of sand and is thus also known as ‘sandblasting’. This creates a more matted appearance, prevents slippage and also makes small, unwanted scratches and marks less noticeable.
Products that use Surface Texturing: The top side of standard Nendoroid stands, etc. |
JJ ★★★★★ (Tori Bird’s Personal Vocab)
| Short for the Japanese ‘Jirashi Jyouzu’, this refers to a long-waited sample coming through with a high level of completion.
Example Use: “I’ve been waiting for this sample for ages! It’s a JJ! Just look at the great shape!” |
That’s all for today! ヽ(ﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉ
But there is still even more figure jargon to come!
Today’s words even included some things I had never heard of, such as the ‘draft angle’ and ‘surface texturing’! Even I have much to learn from the manufacturing team! I’m also sure the production team and other divisions also have all sorts of new words for us to learn!!
I’ll continue with these posts until I’ve covered all the words I can come across, then I can make a complete alphabetical list! (`･ω･´)
But that’s all for today!
I hope to see you all again tomorrow!! (・∀・)ノ