Identifying the difficulties that need to find optimal solutions, the Steering Committee of the National Science and Technology Programme from now to 2030 "Research on application and development of mechanical and automation technology" (Programme KC.03/21-30) has coordinated with the Department of High Technology, the Office of State-level Key Programmes, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, to organise many meetings to solicit opinions from scientists to implement the program with the highest efficiency.
The Ministry of Science and Technology leader said that mechanics-automation is the process of using technology and equipment to perform tasks or processes that previously required direct human participation. The ultimate goal of automation is to increase productivity, improve quality and save time and labor costs.
The Government has had many orientations and policies to develop the mechanical-automation industry. On March 15, 2018, the Prime Minister approved the Strategy for developing Vietnam's mechanical industry to 2025, with a vision to 2035.
On December 30, 2020, the Prime Minister approved a list of 99 high technologies prioritised for investment and development, including about 20 technologies in automation and 107 high-tech products encouraged for investment and development, including about 30 products in automation. Implementing the policy of promoting research, development and application of mechanics and automation, the Ministry of Science and Technology has approved the KC.03/21-30 Programme.
Dr Do Quoc Quang, representative of the KC.03/21-30 Program Management Board, said that in many meetings to consult scientists, the Management Board wishes to share knowledge, experience, creative ideas and discuss technology development trends to promote the mechanics and automation industry. For Vietnam, these are two fields that play a vital role in the country's economic development.
Sharing this issue, Hoang Anh Tu, Deputy Director of the High Technology Department, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, said that the 2024 global automation market was more than 200 billion USD, and by 2030 it will be about 400 billion USD.
Regarding robots, according to Statista, the robot market revenue reached 46.11 billion USD in 2024, by 2030, 80% of people will interact with smart robots daily. Vietnam is facing a great opportunity to participate in the world automation market.
However, to take advantage of this opportunity, it is necessary to resolve the relationship between technology and the market and invest in research on products that meet market demand and new, breakthrough products that are leading, changing, creating new markets and development space for the industry.
Hoang Anh Tu emphasised the goals, contents, tasks and requirements of the KC.03/21-30 Programme, including technological trends of mechanics and automation, to serve as a basis for shaping research objectives, proposing problems and groups of problems that mechanics and automation can solve to find and determine tasks in the coming period.
Through discussions and comments, Associate Professor, Dr Bui Quoc Khanh, General Secretary of the Vietnam Automation Association, said that businesses need to participate in implementing scientific and technological tasks, because implementing the topic will help change the innovative businesses’ thinking.
Enterprises follow market requirements, through implementation, the topic will innovate and develop their internal strength. The push from implementing scientific and technological tasks, enterprises will change their economic thinking and build a team with qualifications and mindset to develop the enterprise.
From the perspective of a research unit, Associate Professor, Dr Le Thu Quy, Director of the Key Laboratory of Welding Technology and Surface Treatment, Institute of Mechanical Research, Ministry of Industry and Trade, said that the contribution of the KC.03/21-30 Programme to scientific and technological activities is very diverse, according to actual development needs.
Associate Professor, Dr Le Thu Quy hopes that the Ministry of Science and Technology will have a direction to order a series of topics to solve strategic scientific and technological tasks with long-term applications such as the construction of high-speed railway technology. Accordingly, there must be a combination between research institutions and enterprises to solve the "orders" of the State.
Sharing about the current difficulties of enterprises when carrying out procedures to receive support funds from the state budget, engineer Nguyen Thanh Thuy, Chairman of the Board of Members and Director of Think Smart Trading and Service Company Limited, said that because the process of implementing topics is still complicated and takes a long time to wait for disbursement, while enterprises need capital quickly to compete with foreign enterprises, so delays will cause loss of opportunities and business advantages.
