Business
Business
Four businesses, all run by MS Lab LLC and all growing out of hands-on design work on the factory floor.
Automation
We design automation and semi-automation equipment and jigs that raise productivity and keep operators safe — mechanical design, electrical hardware design, and PLC / HMI programming. Because we cover the whole chain a machine needs to come alive, nothing falls through the gap between the mechanical and the electrical side. We also handle installation, adjustment, debugging and commissioning on site.
- Mechanical design (concept through detailed design, 2D and 3D CAD), jig design, line layout
- Electrical hardware design (single-line diagrams, power and control wiring, I/O assignment)
- PLC ladder programming, HMI screen design, industrial robot teaching
- On-site installation, adjustment and commissioning
Selected work
Mechanical design
- LCD panel processing line
- Automated glass inspection machine for automotive parts
- Robot hand for a general-purpose visual inspection machine
- Automated transfer, assembly and inspection equipment for automotive parts
- Automated transfer, cutting and packing machines for food production
Electrical and control design
- Electrical hardware design for automated inspection, assembly and transfer equipment for molded parts
- Ladder programming, HMI design and on-site debugging for an automotive seat durability test machine
- On-site debugging of an automotive battery transfer and processing line
- Ladder programming and HMI design for an automotive battery inspection machine
Demonstration videos
Narrated in Japanese.
Tools we have worked with
- 2D CAD
- AutoCAD / ECAD
- 3D CAD
- Inventor / SOLIDWORKS / iCAD SX
- PLC / HMI
- KEYENCE / Mitsubishi Electric
- Others
- Safety controllers / Inverters / Servos
Media
We produce technical content — articles, diagrams and video — on mechanical design and automation, drawing on real design experience. Alongside our own media we write serialized columns for trade publications, publish books, speak at seminars, and take on advertising and PR work for manufacturers. “Monozukuri no Susume” is the brand name of this business; the operator is MS Lab LLC.
- Technical writing (mechanical design and automation)
- Seminar speaking
- Video production, and running a technical YouTube channel and podcast
Selected work
Our own media(Figures as of August 2026)
Writing and speaking
- Published “SOLIDWORKS Modeling Techniques That Set You Apart” — #1 in Amazon Japan's CAD category
- Serialized column in the technical trade media MONOist
- Ranked #1 several times in MONOist's monthly article ranking
- Online seminar speaker
Advertising and PR
- Advertising and PR for manufacturers' products and services
Web Application
We plan, build and operate web apps and tools, starting from problems we run into as designers ourselves. We develop and operate UPDRAFT, a productivity app for mechanical engineers, currently free to use.
- Planning, development and operation of our own services (UPDRAFT)
- Contract development of web apps and internal tools
Selected work
Our own service
- UPDRAFT, a productivity app for mechanical engineers (free to use)
Consulting
We give technical advice to engineers, and support companies building products and services for the manufacturing industry. Knowing what design work actually looks like day to day, we help judge whether what you are building is worth building.
- Technical consultation on mechanical design and automation
- Technical consulting for service development
- Courses and training for designers
Selected work
Support provided
- One-on-one design mentoring
- Support for launching a 2D-to-3D modeling service
- Support for developing an AI-assisted design tool