The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM, President Park Sang-jin), under the Ministry of Science and ICT, has signed cooperation agreements with research institutions in Spain and Greece, leading European nations in mechanical technology, in the fields of advanced robotics and manufacturing, and is accelerating the expansion of international cooperation within Europe.

On the 26th, the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) signed a trilateral cooperation agreement with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Manufacturing, an industry-academia-research consortium in the manufacturing sector under the EU affiliate EIT, and the Institute of Manufacturing Systems and Automation under the University of Patras, a leading institution for excellent technology in the robotics field, at the University of Patras in Greece to promote comprehensive international cooperation, including conducting international joint research in the field of manufacturing equipment and exchanging personnel and information between the institutions.

The delegation also toured the LMS research facilities and discussed the future plans for international joint research projects in the robotics field, which KIMM has been conducting with LMS and others since this year through the EU research and innovation program 'Horizon Europe'.

'Horizon Europe' is the 9th research and innovation program aimed at expanding comprehensive international collaborative research within Europe as well as creating a 'greener, healthier, more digitized, and inclusive Europe,' with the EU allocating a budget of 95% over seven years (2021–2027) starting in 2021.There are plans to invest 500 million euros. The EU is strengthening international cooperation by expanding associate membership status within the program to non-EU member states with excellent research capabilities.

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) is collaborating with 16 institutions across seven countries, including the University of Patras LMS in Greece, as well as Germany and Italy, with the goal of developing AI-based robot system technologies for smart manufacturing. Currently, KIMM is developing smart mechatronics technologies for intelligent material handling, AI-based control technologies, and user-friendly interface technologies. In particular, the institute is focusing its research on smart mechatronics technologies—such as robot hands and universal grippers, which are areas of KIMM's strength—and user-friendly interface technologies, such as smart teaching devices. These technologies are expected to be applied in various fields in the future, including elevator manufacturing, logistics warehouses, and aircraft assembly.

Prior to this, on the 23rd (local time), the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials visited the Technology Center of Catalonia (EURECAT), a leading research institution in the field of mechanical technology in Spain, and signed a cooperation agreement to establish a foundation for mutual exchange in the fields of mechanical technology and manufacturing within the Spanish region and to secure an international cooperation network.

This marks the first collaboration with a Spanish research institute, which was realized through continuous online meetings following a preliminary proposal from the Spanish side last year requesting cooperation on KIMM's excellent technologies.

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) is also pursuing international joint research in Europe in the field of 3D printing. On May 24, the research team visited the Computer Integrated Manufacturing Institute (CIM UPC) at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in Spain, signed a cooperation agreement, and held discussions to identify international joint research projects centered on the field of metal 3D printing, which has significant industrial ripple effects. In addition, they visited the main campus of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in Spain, toured the research site of the Department of Materials Engineering, and continued discussions on research cooperation linked to 3D printing.

Over the years, the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) has strengthened cooperation with traditional mechanical engineering powerhouses such as Germany, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania in fields including machine tools and lasers through international joint research projects such as Eurostar. Last year, KIMM visited the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology in Germany, the Machine Tool Research Institute at Hannover University of Technology, and the Institute of Physics in Lithuania, and signed research cooperation agreements.

President Park Sang-jin stated, “We will expand international joint research not only in existing machine tools and laser fields but also in advanced manufacturing sectors such as robots and 3D printing, and continuously develop technologies that benefit domestic and international industries through active exchange between KIMM’s industry-demand-based applied technologies and Europe’s basic source mechanical technologies.”