Machinery × AI: Empowering Career Potential — Hualien-Taitung Smart Machinery Practical Workshop
As smart manufacturing continues to evolve, the industry's demand for technical talent with hands-on experience and cross-disciplinary integration skills has become increasingly urgent. With the rapid implementation of emerging technologies such as AI, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and smart sensing on production floors, frontline technical personnel must not only understand machinery and processing but also grasp automation workflows and the logic of human-machine collaboration.
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In response to this wave of transformation and to uphold its commitment to nurturing talent in remote areas, the Taiwan Machine Tool & Tool Builders' Association (TMBA) returned to the Hualien-Taitung region this summer to host the "Smart Machinery Practical Workshop." The event attracted over 40 students from Hualien Industrial High School and Kung-Tung Technical High School, specializing in mechanical engineering, drafting, mechatronics, and electrical engineering. Together, they embarked on a four-day intensive practical journey to explore the diverse applications and career possibilities of smart machinery.
Bridging Theory and Practice
The curriculum continued its core philosophy of "Theory × Practice," covering introductory mechanical design, CAD/CAM software applications, practical lathe and milling operations, and fundamental machining principles. This year’s program featured an upgraded focus on the simulation and application of collaborative robots (cobots). Through hands-on teaching and simulated scenarios, students moved from "understanding" to "executing," transforming abstract textbook knowledge into actionable skills—spanning equipment comprehension and path planning to troubleshooting.
To enhance the experience, the course utilized a group-based challenge system. Guided by expert mentor Lai Wei-jie from Taichung Machine Tool (Victor Taichung), students performed segmented tasks that emphasized teamwork and operational precision. In the CNC lathe and milling courses, students did more than just basic tool setting; they learned to convert blueprints into programs and design machining strategies based on workpiece characteristics. This approach increased the fun and challenge of the tasks while strengthening students' analytical and problem-solving abilities.
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Industry Support and Mentorship
The workshop received strong backing from industry partners, including a professional teaching team formed by Everrich (YCM), Victor Taichung, and FANUC Taiwan. These experts provided technical lectures and on-site guidance, demonstrating the industry's deep commitment to vocational talent development. During the event, Lin Jian-you (Vice Convener) and Chuang Chia-he (Member) of the TMBA Industry-Academia Promotion Committee visited to observe the students’ progress and encourage them to stay curious and persistent.
"These past few days have been incredibly enriching," shared Huang Cheng-hsi, a student from Kung-Tung Technical High School. "I learned how to think and solve problems through practice. Moving from watching videos to actually operating CNC machines and cobots was a breakthrough. Despite challenges like mode switching errors or milling transmission issues, overcoming them and seeing my own design engraved on a workpiece gave me a huge sense of accomplishment."
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Exploring Industry 4.0
In addition to traditional machining, the workshop featured interactive learning through simulation. Student Ho Si-jia explained: "We used software to build virtual scenes including robots, CNC equipment, and workpieces to simulate movement paths. This helped us understand how commands translate into handling tasks while avoiding singularities or interference zones."
Under the guidance of mentor Ho Bing-han, students also learned to integrate sensors, controllers, and HMI (Human-Machine Interface) to build flexible and efficient automated workflows—touching the very core of Industry 4.0.
Empowering the Future of Remote Areas
Since the establishment of the "Smart Machinery Talent Training Center" at Hualien Industrial High School in 2022, the TMBA has actively brought corporate resources to Eastern Taiwan. By upgrading campus equipment and aligning curricula with industry needs, the association aims to bridge the resource gap between urban and rural areas.
Looking ahead, the TMBA will continue to expand its efforts through its Industry-Academia platform. It encourages more member companies to participate in talent cultivation, dispatch expert mentors, and co-create teaching materials. By holding these annual workshops, the TMBA hopes to help more students in remote regions discover their career paths and acquire the real-world skills needed to thrive in the era of digital transformation.
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