The South Korean government is promoting a smart factory system designed to maximize production efficiency by merging cutting-edge information technology with conventional manufacturing lines.
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which has been leading the smart plant project, held a meeting Monday to consult companies that will adopt the smart system before full-scale construction starts next month.
“The smart factory project will become an innovative and practical process that enables small and midsized manufacturing enterprises to embrace the fast-changing business environment,” an official at KCCI said.
The smart factory project is a part of government’s initiative dubbed the “industry innovation movement 3.0,” aimed at raising the capability of SME suppliers to seek innovation.
The KCCI and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy have been trying to promote the program since it was announced in June.
According to the KCCI, 263 companies have been chosen to adopt the smart factory system this year and 75 solution firms will offer them information technology help, such as 3-D printing software.
The KCCI has developed reference models for 10 different plant types, including assembly, molding and minting factories. It also selected 20 ICT experts as smart factory coordinators to help SME suppliers come up with suitable introduction plans.
