The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) promotes cutting-edge research, and at the foundation of scientific research are instrumentation technology and talented researchers. NARLabs' Taiwan Instrument Research Institute (TIRI), in implementing NSTC policy, has built an interdisciplinary, integrated R&D service platform for instrument technology and worked closely with university students and professors to help develop custom-made, special instrumentation required for frontier research in various fields. At the same time, TIRI is also devoted to fostering instrument specialists. On April 20, the academic community for ultra-precision machining gathered at the NSTC Smart Machinery Innovation & Collaboration Exhibition in the Cyber Security & Smart Technology R&D Building in Tainan for an international MOU signing ceremony between TIRI, Moore Nanotechnology Systems, and DKSH Taiwan.

TIRI has long been dedicated to the development of precision optical component manufacturing technology, using its production line as a platform to provide the academic and research community with a domain for testing and verification. The big data it gathers is also provided to teams for cloud computing and analysis training. Through the support of the NSTC Department of Engineering and Technologies information security program, TIRI has become the first legal entity in Taiwan to obtain international IEC 62443 certification for industrial control systems cybersecurity, allowing its testing sites for smart manufacturing to become even more comprehensive.

With cooperation between government, industry, academia, and research sectors, TIRI brought together teams in the field of smart machinery to establish the Joint Laboratory for Ultra-Precision Machining. With the goal of bridging the industrial sector, TIRI invited local experts in ultra-precision machining, including National Tsing Hua University Yushan Honorary Chair Professor Albert J. Shih, National Taiwan University Professor Yao-Yang Tsai, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology Professor Chao-Chang Chen, Tamkang University Professor Choung-Lii Chao, and Cheng Shiu University Professor Jeng-Nan Lee, to work together to train high-level talent in the field.

In addition to TIRI's ultra-precision machining equipment, the latest technology has also been provided to the laboratory by Moore Nanotechnology Systems (Nanotech), one of the top three ultra-precision machining system suppliers in the world. DKSH Taiwan, Nanotech's local distributor, will assist in the set-up and maintenance of the equipment and provide technical support so that the laboratory's research teams can have access to the world's most advanced machinery. With Nanotech's software and hardware support in ultra-precision machining technology and the cooperation of academic and research teams to establish a complete training mechanism, TIRI will nurture world-class talent in ultra-precision optical machining for domestic industry.

The development of the domestic precision optics industry has always been highly important in the global market. In addition to optical lenses for consumer electronics, Taiwan's precision optics industry has also gained more opportunity in recent years with the booming development of optical systems for intelligent drive, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), and even low Earth orbit satellites and optical communications. TIRI Director-General Cheng-Tang Pan stated that in order to integrate industrial, academic, and research technology, this transnational collaboration and exchange with Nanotech will help to validate the manufacturing process of optical glass lenses in advanced materials such as alloys and accelerate the R&D of ultra-precision machining technology for the next generation of components in optical systems through the sharing of technology. With the R&D capabilities of the academic and research community, we can fill the technology gap in domestic industry, not only to help upgrade the industry, but also to promote Taiwan's precision optical component manufacturing technology to the world and be in step with the international community.