In recent years, MIRDC won the Edison Awards, known as the Oscars of Innovation, each year with its Optical 3D Plantar Pressure Measurement System, Intelligent 3D Visual Automation for Shoes Roughing and Cementing Equipment, Smart Manufacturing Technology for the Fastener Industry, and Bionic Intelligent AGV Fleet System. In 2021, MIRDC won a Bronze Edison Award with its Continuous Micro Parts Heat Treatment System Equipment, showing that MIRDC is constantly innovating and advancing its technologies, and keeping pace with famous laboratories and major manufacturers around the world. In addition to leaping onto the international stage, MIRDC accelerated the introduction of technologies for companies to utilize and proactively explores new opportunities for Taiwan’s industries.
As 3C products are gradually getting lighter, thinner, and smaller, related components are increasingly demanding high precision and miniaturization. Carbon steel screws in mobile phones and small shafts and gears in fans are all examples of common micro components. After the stamping process, heat treatment will begin. At this time, if traditional large-scale heat treatment equipment is used for carburizing and quenching, quality will be inconsistent, which could cause brittleness, making the parts break easily. The poor collecting rate will waste raw materials and even cause mixing defects. Research shows that among the heat treatment technology projects deemed worthy of R&D by domestic heat treatment companies, precision heat treatment technology ranks first, receiving recognition from 41% of the companies. However, Taiwan does not have corresponding research toward heat treatment equipment and processes. This indicates the lack of heat treatment technologies for micro-parts, which hinders industry transformation and upgrade.
MIRDC pioneered the Continuous Micro Parts Heat Treatment System Equipment, which features four major innovative designs. For micro parts with highly complex structures or smaller than 2 mm in diameter, it integrates automatic feeding, real-time monitoring and real-time control of the main furnace, innovative oil tank and collecting module, and smart service functions. It can quickly replace the process module according to product or function requirements, thereby reducing the dependence on human experience and trial and error. Products are produced with no deformations, greater hardness, excellent dimensional accuracy, and wear resistance characteristics, and quality exceeds that of current domestic products and has reached international standards. The innovative design of the workpiece capturing mechanism of the oil quenching tank is a core technology that can completely capture the small workpieces floating in the oil tank with a collecting rate as high as 100% and 99% yield rate, substantially reducing delivery time and costs.
Chiu-Feng Lin, President of MIRDC, indicated that MIRDC has long been committed to developing high-value micro-manufacturing technologies and equipment. After this technology won the highest honor, the Platinum Award, at the 2018 Taiwan Innotech Expo invention competition, the team continued to improve the technology to pave the way for intelligent unmanned technologies. The technology has been imported by Tesla and Bosch supply chains. Also, MIRDC is currently collaborating with Sha Yang Ye and Xing Guang Industrial in hopes of building a complete micro-production chain in the future to promote the development of Taiwan’s micro manufacturing industry and enhance the industry’s manufacturing competitiveness.