Following a presentation by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) on the current state and future prospects of additive manufacturing (also called 3D printing), Premier Su Tseng-chang at Thursday's meeting of the Cabinet directed responsible ministries and agencies to continue the promotion of innovative technologies and foster necessary professional talent. The premier also called for the integration and optimization of domestic mechanisms to facilitate alliances among industry, researchers and academia in order to take full advantage of the unique characteristics of 3D printing and design. All of these efforts will support the development of the 3D printing industry in Taiwan.
Additive manufacturing is among the key technologies behind "Industry 4.0" and digital manufacturing, Premier Su said, just as it is also an important applied technology in smart machinery innovation. The technique aligns well with the government's policy goal of encouraging industrial innovation to push industry up the value chain and create local jobs.
MOST indicated that efforts in the future will be concentrated where Taiwan enjoys advantages, such as the three broad areas of metals, polymers and biomedicine. The ministry said it will integrate domestic 3D printing academic and R&D capabilities, as well as assemble research and development teams from multiple schools to develop related facilities, systems, production methods, materials and software, with the goal of building a complete 3D printing ecosystem.