The Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China announced that the jointly developed “world’s first H-shaped steel structure laser welding technology” by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and Taiwan Glove Mask has revolutionized the construction steel structure process of half a century and has been awarded the 2025 International Edison Invention Award.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China, the Industrial Technology Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs officially debuted at the Taipei International Machine Tool Show (TIMTOS 2025) on the 3rd. The bureau integrates three legal entities, including the Industrial Technology Research Institute, the Precision Machinery Research and Development Center, and the Metal Industries Research and Development Center, showcasing a total of 24 key technologies of advanced machine tools. These technologies have been successfully introduced to domestic machine tool manufacturers and end manufacturers.
The Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that the “world’s first H-shaped steel structure laser welding technology” jointly developed by ITRI and Taiwan Glove Mask, which uses AI to control the energy of high-energy lasers, not only won the 2025 International Edison Invention Award but also broke through the long-used welding production method of arc/welding iron sand filler in the past 50 years. This technology has increased production capacity by five times, significantly reduced welding time and energy consumption, eliminated the need for filler consumables, and waste disposal.
Furthermore, the national CNS laser welding standard has been developed and passed, with mass production of H-shaped steel structural building materials at the Liyuan Industrial Park in Tainan. President Lai Ching-te personally visited the site and gave special recognition to the industrial application of this technology.
Chang Neng-kai, the Director of the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Industrial Technology Bureau, stated that Taiwan’s machine tool industry is mainly composed of small and medium-sized enterprises with limited capital and technological investments. The Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Industrial Technology Bureau actively seeks solutions for the industry. The “Industrial Technology Development Theme Hall of the Ministry of Economic Affairs” brings together ITRI, Metal Center, and Precision Machinery Center to showcase 24 industrial cooperative achievements.
Chang Neng-kai mentioned that this year is particularly remarkable due to the joint development of the world’s first H-shaped steel structure laser welding technology by ITRI and Taiwan Glove Mask, which has changed the conventional production of H-shaped steel using iron sand and melted iron sand as filler welding methods for 50 years, transforming the industry ecology. The new technology directly melts two H-shaped steel bodies with high-energy lasers, with the advantages of “high production speed” and “low carbon emissions.” By utilizing the steel structure decision-making process, the production speed can be reduced from 20 days to 3 days, production capacity can be increased by five times, and an 80% energy-saving and carbon reduction effect can be achieved.
Chang Neng-kai stated that Taiwan Glove Mask has already mass-produced over 1,000 tons of H-shaped steel structural building materials at the Liyuan Science Industrial Park in Tainan. In the future, Taiwan Glove Mask will also establish new startup companies to promote this new method and product to the international steel structure market.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Industrial Technology Bureau announced that the theme hall will be exhibited from the 3rd to the 8th at booth N0814 on the 4th floor of Hall 1 of the Nanggang Exhibition Center, welcoming interested industry professionals to visit and explore the related technologies.