FIP-SPE@FCU Approved by the Ministry of Economic Affairs International R&D Program: Taiwan-Germany Joint Development of Smart Coating Technology

Last October, Feng Chia University partnered with the Fraunhofer Society—the world’s largest applied research organization in Germany—to establish Taiwan’s first FIP-SPE@FCU International Innovation Platform. This platform serves as a vital bridge for Taiwan-Germany technology exchange, industry collaboration, and talent cultivation. This year, the platform was approved for the Taiwan-Germany Innovation R&D Collaboration Project under the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ “A+ Enterprise Innovation R&D Program,” officially launching the initiative.To ensure the smooth progress of the collaboration, teams from both Taiwan and Germany held a kickoff meeting at Feng Chia University on October 29. The German team, led by Dr.-Ing. Ralf Bandorf and five department heads, visited Taiwan in person, demonstrating Germany’s strong commitment to the partnership. Taiwanese corporate partners included Ricky Huang (General Manager, Liqi Industrial), Kevin Huang (Deputy General Manager), Yiting Huang (Special Assistant), Boxue Lin (R&D Section Chief), as well as Huangming Zhang (Technical Director, Dayong Vacuum Equipment) and Zi-Hou Zhan (R&D Manager). The meeting was chaired by Professor Ho Chu-Liang, Director of FIP-SPE@FCU at Feng Chia University, with several professors and research teams from the university participating. The attendees engaged in in-depth discussions on technology development, R&D progress, and collaboration models.

On October 29, teams from Germany—Fraunhofer IST, PLASUS GmbH, TRUMPF Huettinger SE + Co. KG—and Taiwanese companies Liqi Industrial and Dayong Vacuum Equipment held the DE–TW Kickoff Meeting at Feng Chia University.

This project is led by the Feng Chia University–Fraunhofer Innovation Platform (FIP-SPE@FCU), connecting Germany’s top research and industry organizations: Fraunhofer IST (Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films), PLASUS GmbH, and TRUMPF Huettinger SE + Co. KG, and combining the technological strengths of Taiwan’s Liqi Industrial Co., Ltd. and Dayong Vacuum Equipment Co., Ltd. The goal of the project is to develop mass production coating technology with intelligent color monitoring capabilities, aiming for real-time, proactive color monitoring and feedback to achieve long-term stable coating processes. These technologies will be applied to next-generation functional films and textile products, aligning with the global trend toward green and environmentally friendly manufacturing, meeting market demands for color stability and aesthetic appearance, and enhancing the international competitiveness of related products.The successful approval of this project highlights the key role played by the Feng Chia University–Fraunhofer Innovation Platform (FIP-SPE@FCU) in international industry-academia collaboration, especially in promoting smart manufacturing, green plasma, and sustainable technologies. As the only Fraunhofer Society base in Taiwan, the Feng Chia University–Fraunhofer Innovation Platform serves as an important bridge for Taiwan-Germany technology exchange, industry cooperation, and talent cultivation, providing more opportunities for Taiwanese companies to connect internationally, jointly driving the upgrade and innovation of Taiwan’s advanced manufacturing industry, and creating greater international impact for industrial development.

The “Development of Mass-Production Functional Film Smart Dry Coating Technology” project is Feng Chia University’s second successful Taiwan-Germany collaborative project, deeply rooted in supporting Taiwanese enterprises.