○ Promoting metal 3D printer operator training courses and 3D printed part performance evaluation
○ Enhancing technological competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises by increasing usage rate of metal 3D printers

The Gyeonggi Provincial Government announced on October 5 that it will newly initiate a “metal 3D printer operator training project” and a “performance evaluation project for 3D printed parts” this year with the objective of enhancing the technological competitiveness of manufacturers by increasing the utilization of 3D printers in regional small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the metalworking sector.

The metal 3D printer operator training project aims to foster technicians who can operate metal 3D printers in SMEs, enabling them to utilize their skills in the field. Employees of SMEs in Gyeonggi Province with plans to utilize metal 3D printers are eligible to apply for the training.

Training will take place at the Korea Additive Manufacturing Innovation Center (KAMIC; an affiliate of the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology [KITECH)) in the second half of this year through three sessions—one in October and the remainder in November. Each session will accommodate approximately 10 trainees for six hours a day over a five-day period.

Trainees will learn practical skills that can be applied on-site by studying metal 3D printing, post-processing, and analysis processes using a range of equipment and software at the training center.

This will give the SMEs a chance to make use of trained personnel and 3D printers to create complex parts that were previously difficult to fabricate through conventional technologies and skills.

The application period is from October 5 to until 2 PM on October 21. Those who wish to apply may send the application form via email. More details on submission guidelines, including the application form, are available from the Gyeonggi Technopark website (www.gtp.or.kr).

Concurrently, the performance evaluation project for 3D printed parts is geared to support companies in the empirical evaluation of the quality and reliability of their processing technology prior to the commercialization of parts manufactured using metal 3D printers.

By utilizing the infrastructure of KAMIC, the program includes the following for the supplementation and development of technology: tailored technology consultations by company; and other data needed in manufacturing fields, such as tensile strength and fatigue strength, as well as X-ray and CT inspections of manufactured parts.

The project targets regional SMEs in the metalworking field that manufacture parts using 3D printing technology. Companies selected to participate will be announced after a screening process by experts.

Companies that wish to apply can visit the KAMIC website (www.kamic.or.kr), download the application form and submit it via email.

Future Growth Policy Bureau Director General Lim Moon-young (Gyeonggi Provincial Government) said, “This will become an opportunity to widely use parts manufactured via 3D printing, one of the next-generation technologies, in industrial sites.” He added, “We will continue to strive for innovation in manufacturing among regional companies by utilizing future technologies.”