Comparatively small countries like Korea and Germany have been so successful economically because they have developed cutting-edge technologies in demand around the world. This also applies to laser technology, which has significantly helped the automotive industry in both countries succeed, for example.
Europe's largest institute for applied laser technologies is the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen. The institute has been collaborating with the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials KIMM for many years. The president of KIMM, Dr. Sang Jin Park, visited the Fraunhofer ILT on his trip to Europe on May 5, 2022. Together with Fraunhofer ILT’s director, Professor Constantin Häfner, he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the occasion.
Professor Constantin Häfner, Frauenhofer ILT-Director explain:
“With this agreement, we are taking our cooperation to a new level. Knowledge is transported by people, and with the MoU the exchange of personnel should become faster and easier.”
With the MoU, both partners expect visible advantages when applying for internationally funded projects for the research and development of new laser technologies. Currently, they are jointly developing a laser process for welding and cutting metallic bipolar plates. The cooperation is also to be strengthened by joint events such as symposia and conferences.
Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials is a non-profit, government-funded research institute under the South Korean Ministry of Science and ICT. Since its establishment in 1976 in Daejeon, KIMM has contributed to the country's economic growth by conducting research and development on key technologies in the field of machinery and materials, carrying out reliability tests, and marketing the products and technologies developed.
