Development
How We Develop Your Lure
Leaps Co., Ltd. is a specialist OEM/ODM manufacturer that handles fishing lure development end to end — planning, 3D design, prototyping, and mass production. "I have an idea but can't turn it into a product," "I want to launch my own brand based on an existing lure," "I'm worried about the quality of overseas mass production" — for needs like these, we draw on 26 years of design and manufacturing know-how devoted solely to lures, accompanying you through every step until a single lure reaches store shelves as a finished product.
On this page, we walk through how Leaps develops and produces your lure, broken into six steps. These steps are not rigid; depending on the product's concept and level of completion, we move back and forth between prototyping and testing as the work progresses.
01 — Concept & Planning
We hear your target species, fishing fields, desired action, price range, and lot size, then firm up the product concept and spec direction. You can consult us from just an idea or a rough sketch.
02 — 3D Design
We design the shape in 3D CAD, building in the weight, center of gravity, internal weight placement, lip angle, and symmetry that govern action. We also accept finished design data.
03 — Prototype
We produce shape and field-test samples by CNC machining and 3D printing (FDM / inkjet / stereolithography), confirming the essentials in physical form before cutting a mold.
04 — Field Test
We verify swimming action, casting distance, and fall posture both underwater and in the field, feeding the results back into the design. We repeat prototyping and testing until the target performance is reached.
05 — Tooling
After the final design is fixed, we make the molds and jigs. We handle both new mold fabrication and customer-supplied molds. Paint specs and hook/material sourcing are also finalized at this stage.
06 — Production & Delivery
Molding, assembly, painting, printing, and packaging are all done in-house. Our QC section inspects by your specified method, and we ship to Japan or overseas under FOB / CIF / DDU terms.
STEP 01
Development begins with listening to you. What kind of fishing, what fish, in what fields? We organize everything — the action you want (wobbling, rolling, darting, falling, and so on), the target price range, the initial lot, and the number of color variations — and firm up the product concept and spec direction. No finished design data is required; an idea, a rough sketch, or a reference lure you already have is enough. Aligning on feasibility and cost at this stage prevents rework later.
STEP 02
Based on the firmed-up concept, we design the shape in 3D CAD. A lure is governed not only by its looks but by elements such as weight, center-of-gravity position, internal weight placement, lip angle and area, and body symmetry — all of which strongly affect swimming and fall posture. At Leaps we build in these action-defining elements exactly as intended, while designing with an eye on whether the product can be mass-produced at consistent quality. If you already have design data, we can develop and mass-produce from your supplied data.
STEP 03
Once the design data is ready, we use CNC machining and 3D printers (FDM, inkjet, stereolithography) selectively to produce shape samples and field-test samples. Because each method reproduces different precision and surface texture, we choose the best approach for the purpose. Rather than cutting a mold straight away, we first confirm with you, in physical form, that the prototype meets the essentials — this extra step is crucial to preventing trouble and remakes after mass production.
STEP 04
Prototypes are verified for swimming action, casting distance, and fall posture both in the test tank at our Indonesia factory and in the field. In addition to checking behavior in the tank, we evaluate the real feel of use at actual fishing grounds and feed the results back into the design. We repeat the design → prototype → test cycle as many times as needed until the target performance is reached. We can also work in a flow where you run the tests yourself and we reflect your feedback into the design.
STEP 05
Once the final design is fixed, we make the molds and jigs for mass production. We can handle both new mold fabrication and customer-supplied molds. At the same time we finalize the painting and decoration specs (hot stamping, hand spraying, robot top-coating, pad printing, screen printing, and photorealistic UV printing), hook selection, and packaging material sourcing, getting everything ready for stable mass production.
STEP 06
In mass production, molding, assembly, painting, printing, and packaging are all carried out in-house. After production, our QC section inspects by the method you specify. We have the capacity to produce 300,000–400,000 units per month under normal conditions, up to about 500,000 units at maximum, flexibly handling everything from small to large lots. Finished goods are delivered to your designated locations in Japan and overseas under trade terms such as FOB, CIF, and DDU.
Underpinning Leaps' development strength is the collaboration between our Japan HQ and our Indonesia factory (PT.Craze Indonesia). Design and prototyping are shared between the Japan HQ and the Indonesia factory, while mass production is handled by the Indonesia factory. The advantage is that we maintain Japanese design and quality standards while achieving the cost competitiveness and production capacity unique to integrated overseas manufacturing. In addition, shipping from Indonesia is less exposed to the additional tariffs targeting China, making cost planning more stable for exports — including to the US.
Answers to the questions we are most often asked about lure development and prototyping.
Yes. Even without clear design data, you can consult us from the idea, concept, or rough-sketch stage. Based on our hearing, we create a design and progress step by step to 3D design and prototyping. We also support fully integrated development from the planning stage (ODM).
Yes. Based on your images, samples, or drawings, we create the 3D design data and proceed with development. If you already have design data, we also support prototyping and mass production from your supplied data.
Yes. We support improvement development such as size variations, weight adjustments, and lip or action changes based on an existing shape. However, we cannot produce copies that infringe the design rights or trademarks of others.
It varies by content. If you fully supply the design data, prototyping is possible in about two weeks. For new development from a concept, the period varies with the number of design, prototyping, and field-test cycles, so we present a schedule case by case after hearing the details.
We repeat prototyping and testing as many times as needed to reach the targeted action and specs. Prototyping costs vary by shape, method, and number of iterations, so we quote case by case according to the content.
Yes. We verify the prototype's swimming action, casting distance, and fall posture underwater and in the field, and feed the results back into the design. Combining this with your own testing is also possible.
We treat your planning, design, and design data as confidential. We can also conclude a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), so please let us know at the time of inquiry if you would like one.
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