About two years ago, we began experimenting with vapor deposition coating (PVD) on sofubi (soft vinyl) parts to explore new surface finishes for Smart Doll bodies. While the results looked promising, the process of assembling a sofubi body — which involves heating and stretching the parts — caused the PVD layer to crack or flake. In the end, PVD just wasn’t compatible with flexible materials like sofubi.
Cortex, on the other hand, is made from rigid ABS and assembled with screws, so there’s no need for heat or reshaping. This makes it far more suitable for PVD. And to clarify — Cortex can absolutely handle mechanical stress — but because the parts remain dimensionally stable during assembly, the coating stays intact, as shown in these photos.
PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) works by growing an ultra-thin metallic layer onto a surface in a vacuum chamber — atom by atom — creating a finish that brings the bling and holds up under pressure. It’s the same process used in luxury watches, surgical tools, and high-end electronics. When applied to Cortex, it opens up exciting new directions for Smart Doll design.
Cortex also offers practical advantages over sofubi — it’s more stain-resistant, easier to spray paint without cracking, and allows for color mixing through interchangeable panels. It’s also more forgiving for those who like to customize, whether through carving, detailing (think Gunpla), or digital modifications. For the latter, we’ll be providing free 3D STL files to support your creative freedom.
The molds have been sandblasted, and we’re now going back and forth adjusting injection pressure to find that sweet spot between a nice matte finish and keeping flash under control.
I still don’t have an ETA just yet — but as always, we never compromise on quality just to rush a release. It’ll be ready when it’s truly ready ;-)
I understand that from a consumer’s perspective, it might seem simple to release a product. But behind the scenes, there are many moving parts — from production schedules and workflow coordination to inventory management and quality control — all of which need to align before we can move forward.
More photos on the site.
https://shop.smartdoll.jp/pages/instagram#/?instaPost=DIsQ9l3zGAH…
I thought I'd mention - these photos taken on the VIVO X200 Pro.
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