Innovation from Component Development

Clay has been used as a molding material throughout Japan since the Jomon period. Clay with the appropriate water content can be shaped with fingers or a spatula. The molded body is sintered and waterproofed by firing. Fired bodies are used in daily life as vessels and clay figures. As the Jomon period progressed, these products began to feature highly decorative designs, which must have delighted the people of the time. Originally, it is likely that a single creator produced these value-added products from raw materials. Today, the use of clay has diversified, and most products are composed of components made from different materials, with highly specialized production. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the connection between the process of producing value-added products from raw materials. In this chapter, clay, a resource of Megumi Monozukuri, is introduced, and how to use clay to impart various properties to components is explained. Additionally, two cases led to the development of high-value-added components using clay and products that provide a comfortable life. The AIST consortium Clayteam, which was launched in 2010, exhibits at the New Functional Materials Exhibition held at Tokyo Big Sight every winter, but in January 2020, we proposed future manufacturing through the exhibition of a wooden aircraft loaded with high-value-added components.