Chungnam, Fostering Next-Generation Core Materials and Components Industry

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province is set to foster the next-generation core materials and components industry.

The province announced on the 15th that it recently secured 7 billion KRW in national funding after being selected for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s public contest project, "Establishment of Advanced Powder Material Components Development Infrastructure."

This project aims to nurture the metal powder materials and components industry, maximize the high value-added of products based on it, and enhance the effect of substituting imported powders.

Following the selection results, the province plans to invest a total budget of 13 billion KRW by 2025, including 3 billion KRW in local government funds and 3 billion KRW in private investment, in addition to the national funding.

The main contents of the project include establishing centers and equipment, developing core technologies for powder materials and components, providing technical support such as testing, demonstration, certification, and reliability evaluation, and training personnel.

First, the province plans to build one specialized center for powder materials and components, along with new equipment such as powder manufacturing devices and reliability evaluation equipment.

In the first and second years, the center will utilize the current Gongju National University Cheonan College of Engineering Building 1, and from the third year, it will move into the newly constructed Basic Convergence Practice Hall with a total floor area of 1,300㎡ on the site of the lead institution.

The newly established equipment includes 17 types such as high-pressure vacuum gas atomization and integrated molding equipment, ultra-high-pressure hybrid powder manufacturing equipment, isostatic hot pressing machines, and 3D printers.

Additionally, the project will support powder manufacturing technology, powder processing, molding, and sintering technologies, powder material fusion technologies, prototype production support, product group data construction and marketing support, attracting research institutes of related SMEs to the center, and programs linking industry, universities, and graduate students.

A provincial official stated, “Metal powder materials and components are core materials in the 4th Industrial Revolution era applied to industries such as automobiles, electrical and electronics, aerospace, energy, and medical chemical devices, with a high ratio of final product price compared to raw material cost.” He added, “The province will foster and develop the powder industry that can add high value to the metal materials and components industry to revitalize the regional economy.”