Global Economic Times

Daejeon Secures KRW 10 Billion from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for "Additive Manufacturing-Based Customized Flexible In-line Shared Factory Construction Project": HONG MOON HWA Senior Reporter / Updated : 2025-04-23 08:44:14

A total of KRW 15.1 billion to be invested over 5 years… Expected to strengthen the competitiveness of foundational manufacturing companies and strategic industries like aerospace.

Daejeon City has positioned itself as a key hub for fostering strategic industries based on the advancement of foundational manufacturing, aligning with the digital transformation of the manufacturing sector. The city has achieved a significant success by being selected for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's "Additive Manufacturing-Based Customized Flexible In-line Shared Factory Construction Project," securing KRW 10 billion in national funding.

This major project will involve a total investment of KRW 15.1 billion (including KRW 10 billion in national funds) over five years until 2029 to establish an integrated flexible production process (In-line manufacturing shared platform) based on additive manufacturing within the region.

Specifically, it is expected to establish a system capable of rapidly and flexibly supplying high-performance, high-precision components required for the so-called ABCDQR strategic industries: ▲Aerospace ▲Bio ▲Chip (Semiconductor) ▲Defence ▲Quantum ▲Robot.

The project will be spearheaded by the Daejeon Technopark, with participation from the Korea Conformity Laboratories (KCL), the Industry-Academia Cooperation Foundation of Hannam University, and the Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI).

Daejeon Technopark will oversee the overall operation of the shared factory and the integrated additive manufacturing-post-processing process. KCL will be responsible for component testing and reliability verification. Hannam University will focus on specialized additive manufacturing shape design and process optimization, while KETI will be in charge of designing and building an efficient In-line manufacturing system.

This year, key testing equipment such as powder removal equipment and particle size analyzers will be prioritized for the platform foundation. In 2026, a meter-class Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) metal 3D printer and large-scale surface treatment equipment will be established to build a large-part production base. From 2027, the project will focus on real-time monitoring of the additive manufacturing process and completion of a reliability evaluation system, leading to full-scale support for companies, including prototype production.

Additive manufacturing is a technology that creates three-dimensional shaped products and parts by layering plastic, metal, or ceramic materials using a heat source. It is gaining attention, particularly around 3D printers, due to its ability to precisely and quickly produce complex parts and its maximized design flexibility.

Daejeon City has been supporting the digital transformation of the manufacturing sector, including foundational industries, using additive manufacturing technology. However, limitations in precision post-processing and testing infrastructure have hindered productivity and quality enhancement. Through this project, the city plans to fundamentally improve manufacturing competitiveness by establishing a unique in-line production system in Korea that integrates additive manufacturing → post-processing → testing and evaluation within the region.

This initiative is also expected to greatly benefit local foundational manufacturing companies. The advanced production environment based on additive manufacturing will integrate with traditional foundational technologies such as welding, casting, and molding to improve quality and productivity. The shared use of advanced production equipment like the In-line production system and post-processing equipment will provide a foundation for small and medium-sized manufacturing companies, which often lack the resources for their own advanced facilities, to easily access cutting-edge processes.

Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo emphasized, "Securing KRW 10 billion in national funding has laid the cornerstone for opening the future of the local manufacturing industry. We will work with the Daejeon Advanced Foundational Industry Council, representing 1,946 local foundational manufacturing companies, to generate tangible results in the digital transformation of the local manufacturing sector, the fostering of strategic industries, and the creation of youth jobs."

Meanwhile, Daejeon City has been continuously promoting the 'Foundational Industry Promotion Project' since 2013, providing support for process improvement, prototype production, and marketing to strengthen the competitiveness of local foundational manufacturing companies. The synergistic effect with this new project is highly anticipated.