With KIMM, to the World!

“K-Machine” Launches Joint Growth with Domestic Companies, Expanding into Eastern Europe

- KIMM signs MoU in the fields of digital twin-based precision machinery and optics with KEIT, CTU, SMEC, TGS, and the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences -

- Participated in the 「Korea-Czech Industry & Energy Technology Cooperation Forum 2024」 hosted by both countries’ Ministries of Industry and KIAT on Friday, September 20 -

□ The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (President Seog-Hyeon Ryu, hereinafter referred to as KIMM), an institute under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and ICT, has taken its first step toward establishing research cooperation in Eastern Europe and supporting domestic companies in entering the European machinery industry.

□ This Eastern European collaboration is part of KIMM’s global cooperation program, “With KIMM to the World”. Through this program, KIMM continually shares its international collaboration infrastructure with domestic companies, serving as a bridge for their global partnerships. By securing excellent foundational machinery R&D infrastructure of Eastern Europe and responding to the growing demand for local machinery technology, KIMM’s efforts are expected to play a crucial role in strengthening the global presence of “K-Machine” in the industrial sector.

□ On September 20th, KIMM signed a five-party cooperation MoU in Prague, Czech Republic, with the Czech Technical University (CTU), TGS (technology provider and representative of SMEC machines in Czech republic), KEIT (Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology), and SMEC (a Korean precision machinery company). 

□ Through this agreement, the parties plan to jointly develop digital transformation technologies and AI-based autonomous manufacturing processes for equipment used in turbine parts for power generators and aircraft engines. The manufacturing of parts such as blades, blisks, and impellers requires high-end precision machining equipment and advanced digital machining techniques due to the complex geometries and hard-to-machine materials.

□ CTU FME, Research Center for Manufacturing Technology (RCMT) is a leading research group in the field of machine tool and process digital twins, holding world-class expertise in simulation-based intelligent machining of turbine parts. Since 2014, KIMM and RCMT have collaborated in the machine tool sector, expanding this partnership to industrial applications. This collaboration is expected to help SMEC, a leading Korean machine tool company, to enhance the knowledge in the field of turbine blade machining and repair equipment. 

□ Additionally, KIMM signed another MoU with the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (FZU) on September 20th to cooperate on the development of ultra-short laser sources and research on semiconductor and battery manufacturing processes using lasers. 

□ FZU, established in 1954, is a specialized research institute under the Czech Academy of Sciences, comprising five research divisions. Its HiLASE Centre, known for leading research on high-power ultra-short laser sources, successfully developed the world’s most powerful ultra-short laser in 2022, with a pulse energy of 95J. KIMM and FZU have maintained joint research in the field of ultra-short lasers.

□ President Seog-Hyeon Ryu and researchers of KIMM also participated in the 「Korea-Czech Industry & Energy Technology Cooperation Forum 2024」, hosted by KIAT and both the Korean and Czech Ministries of Industry and Trade, discussing technology collaboration with key Czech universities and research institutes.

□ President Seog-Hyeon Ryu stated, “This cooperation with the Czech Republic goes beyond existing precision machinery technology collaborations. It will contribute to the growth of domestic companies by strengthening their capabilities in high-end equipment development and autonomous manufacturing solutions, based on digital twin technology.” He also stated that “KIMM will continue to expand mutually beneficial collaborations with domestic companies aspiring to enter the Eastern European market, while enhancing the global influence of “K-Machine.””