Molds, which play a critical role in determining Canon's competitive edge, must meet world-class standards in quality, production times, and cost. Canon has developed a fast metal-mold production system that consolidates the metal-mold production process into a consistent 3-D system incorporating mold design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) programs, machining, assembly, and measurement.

By developing a dedicated computer-aided design (CAD) system that incorporates mold design know-how, and an original CAM system linked to machining technologies, Canon greatly reduced mold-design, programming, and machining times. Traditionally, shaping was accomplished exclusively using Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), but Canon engineers succeeded in developing EDM-free technologies by establishing high-speed, high-precision cutting techniques. Canon plans to continue pursuing technological developments to further expand the scope of automation and enhance its machining technologies.