Support for the “SORAURUSHI Project” Led by Kyoto City University of Arts

Artwork used in the project

Toray Engineering Co., Ltd. (head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO & COO: Takashi Iwade; hereinafter “Toray Engineering”) has produced and donated the base structures for artworks used in the “SORAURUSHI project,” led by Kyoto City University of Arts, (Location: Kyoto City; President: Tamame Akamatsu; hereinafter “KCUA”), using its composite material 3D modeling machine.

The SORAURUSHI project is an initiative aimed at the fusion of art and technology, involving collaboration between students studying art at KCUA and those studying engineering at other universities such as Nagoya University and Nagoya Institute of Technology. The project was first launched in 2022, and its goal is to launch lacquer-based artworks to the stratosphere (approximately 30 km altitude) using a space balloon and capture/view images of the Earth and space reflected on the lacquer surfaces under Earth’s light. The third launch took place on September 19, and for the first time, Toray Engineering’s base structures were used in the artwork.

Carbon fiber (CF) composite material 3D molding

Artworks launched into the stratosphere are created by applying lacquer to the surfaces of sculpted objects. Toray Engineering leverages the strengths of its carbon fiber (CF) composite material 3D molding machine, which uses a core shell method to produce high-strength and high-rigidity objects. This capability contributes to the SORAURUSHI project by meeting the specific requirements for mounting the artwork on the space balloon, such as the need to prepare multiple identical pieces, and ensuring the objects can withstand the impacts experienced during launch, stratospheric flight,and splashdown.
For more details, please visit the official SORAURUSHI project website below.

Toray Engineering will continue to contribute to society by offering cutting-edge solutions for Monozukuri (manufacturing) through its technology, engineering, and know-how. Additionally, the company actively supports and collaborates on student activities, focusing on developing the next generation of talent.

■ Link to the official SORAURUSHI project website
https://soraurushi.studio.site/

■ Link to Toray Engineering’s page on the official SORAURUSHI Project website
https://soraurushi.studio.site/webkizi/xtorayengi

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