Quality Alchemist (品質煉金術師): Inno Space Visit cum Sharing on How Technology Can Revolutionize Traditional Industries

Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) established an “Inno Space” on 27 Oct 2017 to promote the translation of innovative and technological ideas into industrial designs or products, nurture a start-up culture in Hong Kong and support “re-industrialization”. The “Inno Space” would provide workspace and technical support to enable users to develop their innovative ideas into industrial design which may subsequently be translated into products though prototyping. TecONE arranged Inno Space visit and sharing seminar on 12^th Jan 2018. I took a photo in front of the Inno Space for memory.

In the beginning, Ms. Stephanie Huang (Centre Manager, Inno Space, Corporate Development of HKPC) gave a welcome speech and introduced Inno Space to us.

Mr. Chuck Fung (Senior Consultant, Smart Manufacturing & Materials, HKPC) was the speaker and his presentation entitled “Inno Space and Prototyping Technical Sharing”. Firstly, he briefed some technology background and then shared three real cases employed HKPC technologies to assist industries.

Mr. Fung said there were five technologies types included Optic, Mechatronic, Electronic, Magnetic and Chemistry in here and he was familiar in the first three technologies. Then he briefed the 3D Tech (CAD/CAM), Opto-Mechatronics and System Integration from 1992 “established Rapid Prototyping Technology Centre” to 1997 “3D CAD/CAM Popularization Program”.

He shared the first case which was Bra Cup Machinery Development using 3D technology to overcome the manufacturing problem. It included double-side laser scanning system and automatic loader for bra cup molding machine. The total solution for Bra Cup manufacturing process was showed as following diagram. The project worked with HKRITA.

Video of Automatic Loader for Bra Cup Molding Machine (自動化胸杯模壓系統)

The second case was the “Personalized Wedding Rings” by 3D Printing Technology. Firstly, Mr. Fung identified the combinations of sizes for ring finger. Then his team developed tailor-made scanning system. The partner company would like to enhance customer experience using 3D printing to form a prototype

The final machine was showed as follows.

The last case was the textile defect checking by image recognition that main employed to inspect the label logo. HKPC solutions included Tailor-made Scanning System, Knowledge-based System and Removal System.

After that Mr. Arnold Wu (Co-founder, The Hong Kong Maker Club) and he introduced what is the maker and shared how Inno Space to help them from idea to prototype. He hoped that Inno Space provided area for different makers to jam new ideas.

Finally, Ms. Stephanie Huang led us to visit Inno Space facilities.

First place was 3D scanning.

She demonstrated the motion capture problem which could help to develop simple short video.

Then we visited the 3D Printing centre. She introduced different technologies on 3D printing such as Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM), Stereo-lithography (SLA) and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), as well as, Selective Laser Sintering (SLS).

We walked through the I4.0 centre and went to the workshop of Inno Space.

It was a maker area with laser cutting, laser welding, casting, machining workshop, etc.

Stephanie said the cost for rental such facilities was $800 per month that had 30hr per week. Moreover, it had 80% discount for booking 3 months and upto 70% discount for booking 6 months. If you were in partner company, the month rate down to 50% discount.