PCB ART moeco’s Flash IC Card Cases are gaining popularity due to their unique designs, which use printed circuit boards to trace Tokyo and Osaka train routes. Myriad electronic components are soldered into a space that fits within the palm of your hand, with metal lines one-millimeter wide connecting each component. Actual station names are written in small, three-character abbreviations, and a build-in LED lights up when you hold the card over the turnstile's touch sensor.

The card holder is developed by Denshi-Gihan, a company based in northern Osaka Prefecture. The company designs, manufactures, and sells boards that are installed in equipment for station and airport lighting displays, bus fare displays, and more. With a solid track record focused on small lot production and quick turnaround, the company started to consider ways to create new products using its circuit board design capabilities. During this period, the company began modifying defective boards for use as accessories. After showing the accessories at an exhibition, they realized that the accessories could stand on their own.A buyer from a major bookstore chain caught word of the products and asked the company to create a men’s accessory. After much trial and error, the train route IC card case was created.

In its first year, the card case was a big hit, selling over 400 units. “We were delighted to sell so many, and hear consumers praising the product,” says second generation president Kitayama, who oversaw the product’s design and development. Afterwards, the company established moeco, a new venture and brand focused on creating circuit board accessories. The brand is developing smartphone cases and other new products while increasing its advertising and working hard to attract consumers.