The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said on the 30th that it will issue a consolidated notice for next year's smart manufacturing innovation support projects, including building smart factories.
The consolidated notice is a follow-up to the "AI-based Smart Manufacturing Innovation 3.0 Strategy" released on the 24th, and aims to help small and midsize manufacturing corporations prepare by sharing the schedule for next year's support projects through the consolidated notice.
The eligible scope covers a total of 12 projects in smart manufacturing innovation, with AI-related support greatly expanded compared with this year.
Support to build "AI factories," which integrate AI into smart factories to automate decision-making and execution such as defect detection and real-time process control, has increased significantly in stages. By detailed program, about 450 tasks will be supported across ▲ autonomous factories (30) ▲ smart factories specialized in manufacturing AI (400) ▲ large-medium-small win-win AI track (20). Consulting will also be strengthened, including planning support for AI transformation (AX) using experts, to help small and midsize corporations adopt manufacturing AI.
A new "rapid commercialization of AI application products" program will also be supported to develop and spread AI solutions and equipment that can address common issues faced by small and midsize corporations across industries, such as preventing industrial accidents and easing labor shortages.
In addition, it will strengthen technology development projects needed for smart factories, such as AI, digital transformation technologies, and core process optimization, and support the application of excellent research and development outcomes to smart factories. It will also expand support for adopting manufacturing robots and automating labor-intensive manual processes.
It will continue to push projects to assess the capabilities of cloud manufacturing solution providers and supply-side corporations. This is a plan to strategically foster not only manufacturing corporations but also technology supply corporations. A cloud manufacturing solution is a method that allows users to utilize functions needed for equipment or production processes without purchasing expensive equipment or IT infrastructure directly.
It will expand support in the field of manufacturing data standardization to promote the building of standard-based smart factories and to invigorate the smart manufacturing ecosystem. A standard-based smart factory is one that applies an international standard system so that different equipment and systems can exchange data smoothly, serving as key infrastructure that strengthens the foundation for using AI and data.
Kwon Sun-jae, regional corporations policy director at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), said, "To help small manufacturing corporations better feel the utility of AI and spread AI technology to the field, we increased the related budget for next year by more than 80% based on the government plan," adding, "We will further advance smart manufacturing innovation support policies so that manufacturing productivity and competitiveness can be enhanced."