KIMM Expands the Research Cooperation with Traditional Machine Technology Powerhouses in Europe

- KIMM Signs MoU with Germany’s Fraunhofer ILT and IFW at Leibniz University of Hannover -

- KIMM Signs MoU with Lithuania’s FTMC and Visits the Lithuanian Ministry of Economy and Innovation
to Discuss Cooperation -

In an effort to accelerate the expansion of international cooperation with Europe, the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, an institute under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and ICT (President Sang Jin Park, hereafter referred to as KIMM) has signed memorandum of understandings with representative research institutes in Germany, a European powerhouse in the field of machine technology, and Lithuania, a country with excellent original mechanical technology.

On Monday, May 9th in local time, Dr. Sang Jin Park, the president of KIMM, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) focusing on the field of laser light sources with the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC)* located in Lithuania, a country renowned for its original mechanical technologies.

* FTMC is the largest national research institute in Lithuania, founded by the merger of research institutes in the fields of physics, chemistry, and semiconductor physics. The center’s reputation prompted the KIMM Department of Laser & Electron Beam Technologies to pursue joint research efforts in the field of laser light sources. Of Lithuania’s machine industry sectors, its laser sector is one of the most competitive in the world.

< On May 9 (Mon.), KIMM President Sang Jin Park (first photo, on the left) and the KIMM delegation had signed an MoU

with the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC) of the Republic of Lithuania, in the field of laser technology (Photo Credit: KIMM) >

After the signing of MoU, the President Sang Jin Park and KIMM delegation went on to visit the Lithuanian Ministry of the Economy and Innovation to discuss future cooperation with the Vice Minister Jovita Neliupšienė.

According to the Vice Minister Jovita Neliupšienė, “Lithuanian government considers the Republic of Korea as an important potential partner for scientific technology cooperation”. She also added that the government “hopes to facilitate more cooperation with KIMM in the field of advanced manufacturing equipment through this meeting”. With the FTMC MoU, KIMM has established a foothold for research cooperation with three Baltic countries, which boast excellent original mechanical technology.

< On May 9 (Mon.), KIMM President Sang Jin Park (first photo, second from the left) and the KIMM delegation had visited the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation

of the Republic of Lithuania, and discussed future cooperation with the Vice Minister Jovita Neliupšienė (Photo Credit: KIMM) >

< On May 8 (Sun.), KIMM President Sang Jin Park and the KIMM delegation had visited a world renowned  Lithuanian laser manufacturing company, 
Light Conversion, and discussed future cooperation (Photo Credit: KIMM) >

Prior to their visit to FTMC, on May 8th, KIMM delegation also had visited the Light Conversion, a world renowned manufacturing company of femtosecond lasers. KIMM had toured around the research facilities and discussed on the possible cooperation with the Light Conversion, focusing on the field of laser technology.

In addition, KIMM President Sang Jin Park and KIMM researchers visited the Institute of Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering at Riga Technical University (MMI RTU) and the Institute of Solid State Physics at the University of Latvia (ISSP UL). During these visits, they discussed plans for cooperation in KIMM’s main research areas, including advanced manufacturing equipment and nanotechnology.

< On May 10 (Tue.), KIMM President Sang Jin Park and the KIMM delegation had visited the Riga Technical University

of the Republic of Latvia, and discussed future cooperation in the field of advanced manufacturing equipment and nano technologies (Photo Credit: KIMM) >

< On May 10 (Tue.), KIMM President Sang Jin Park and the KIMM delegation had visited the Institute of Solid State Physics (ISSP) at the University of Latvia,

and discussed future cooperation in the field of advanced manufacturing equipment and nano technologies (Photo Credit: KIMM) >

In 2018, after signing an agreement with the Czech Technical University in Prague and the HiLASE Center, the laser research center at the Czech Academy of Sciences, and conducting joint research, KIMM paved the way for research cooperation with the Eastern European region. By expanding the international cooperation network to Lithuania and Latvia, KIMM has broadened the foundation for cooperation with Baltic States, strong players in basic mechanical technology research.

< On May 5 (Thu.), KIMM President Sang Jin Park (right) had signed an MoU with Director Constantin Häfner (left)
of the Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (Fraunhofer ILT) (Photo Credit: Fraunhofer ILT) >

< On May 5 (Thu.), KIMM President Sang Jin Park (fifth from the right) had signed an MoU with Director Constantin Häfner (fourth from the left)
of the Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (Fraunhofer ILT) (Photo Credit: Fraunhofer ILT) >

< On May 5 (Thu.), KIMM President Sang Jin Park and the KIMM delegation had toured around the research facilities of Fraunhofer ILT
and discussed the future cooperation (Photo Credit: Fraunhofer ILT) >

Prior to the visits in Lithuania and Latvia, KIMM President Sang Jin Park had signed the agreements with two German research institutes. On Thursday, May 5th in local time, KIMM signed a memorandum of understanding with Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology (Fraunhofer ILT)**, with goal of identifying possible joint research topics for further future joint researches, then followed by another memorandum of understanding at 4 pm on Friday, May 6th with the Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools (IFW)*** at Leibniz University of Hannover for cooperation in the areas of advanced manufacturing equipment.

** Fraunhofer ILT is a research institute specializing in laser research and is affiliated with the Fraunhofer Research Association, the largest research and development organization in Europe. Fraunhofer ILT is currently conducting joint research with the KIMM Department of Industrial Laser Technology, under the Busan Machinery Research Center of KIMM, on developing laser processing equipment technology to increase the efficiency of and improve quality control of fuel cell laser manufacturing processes. With over 480 employees and more than 40 spin-offs, Fraunhofer ILT is one of the most important contract research and development institutes in its field worldwide.

*** IFW is a research institute under the Leibniz University of Hannover that focuses on the production engineering and machine tools. KIMM Department of Ultra-Precision Machines and Systems has been in cooperation with IFW, and joint research has been carried out in the field of high-tech machine tools, such as the development of mobile platform-based machining system technology. Recently, the institutions have agreed to cooperate in research on energy reduction in machine tools.

< On May 6 (Fri.), KIMM President Sang Jin Park and the KIMM delegation had toured around the research facilities of the Laser Zentrum Hannover
and discussed the future cooperation (Photo Credit: KIMM) >

Over the past years, KIMM has strengthened cooperation with Germany, a powerhouse in traditional machine technology, in the fields of machine tools and lasers. In 2018, the Hanover Laser Center (LZH) was designated as a reference institution for overseas joint research by KIMM. In the following year, a research memorandum of understanding was signed, and continuing cooperation efforts have been made in cutting-edge laser processing technology.

< On May 6 (Fri.), KIMM President Sang Jin Park and the KIMM delegation had toured around the research facilities of
the Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools (IFW) at Leibniz University of Hannover, and discussed the future cooperation (Photo Credit: KIMM) >

KIMM President Sang Jin Park shared his hopes that “international joint research opportunities conducted by KIMM will be promoted even further through the expansion of cooperative efforts with Germany and Baltic countries, where mechanical technology has been traditionally dominant”. He further added that “KIMM will continue to develop technologies that are helpful to domestic companies and other industries through exchanges of KIMM’s industrial, demand-based application technologies with the original mechanical technology partners of European countries”.