The Philippines is set to take a serious swing at being a technological hub in the ASEAN region through the launch of the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCen).
In a statement issued by the Department of Science and Technology -Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) through the Technology Information and Promotions Section - Technology Diffusion Division, it was announced that the launching of the AMCen facility is set on April 12, 2021.
DOST said that AMCen is a facility that will offer advanced manufacturing (AM) capability building.
With its offerings such as top-of-the-line AM technologies, state-of-the-art prototyping laboratory, and AM experts - among others - the Philippines is expected to “step up” its competitiveness game in the advanced manufacturing arena.
While advanced countries have been into the Industry 4.0 trend, DOST noted that the phenomenon “has only landed on Filipinos’ consciousness quite recently.”
DOST noted that as a result of the I4.0, manufacturing industries around the world point to technologies that increase productivity. “This is what AMCen is all about,” it added.
For instance, DOST cited the case for 3D printing technology where there are “limitless potentials especially now that the most sophisticated industries” - including aerospace, defense, health and medical, biotechnology, automotive, and electronics and semicon - are “turning their attention to 3D printing and finding numerous ways of its application.”
In line with battlecry of DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Pena that science should be for the people, the AMCen is expected to bring benefits to the Filipino people - in particular.
The AMCen is a project of the DOST, the DOST-Industrial Technology and Development Institute (DOST-ITDI), and the DOST-MIRDC.