Penang's Shared Automated Test Equipment Lab Set To Begin Operations In 1Q 2027 -- Chow
GEORGE TOWN, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- The Shared Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Lab under the Penang ATE Campus initiative is expected to begin operations in the first quarter (1Q) of 2027, providing local companies with access to advanced technology, equipment, software and expertise to strengthen their product development capabilities.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the facility, to be established at the Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC), would enable local ATE companies to access the resources and expertise needed to design, integrate and validate their products without bearing the full cost of developing such capabilities independently.
He said 17 technology collaborators had committed to supporting four key stages of ATE product development through the shared facility.
“The Shared Lab is meant to share that load by providing local ATE companies with access to the technology, equipment, software and expertise they need, so that they can move faster from idea to product,” he said during the Penang ATE Campus Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Exchange Ceremony and MedTech Collaboration Workshop at PSDC here today.
Also present were PSDC chief executive officer Datuk Dr Hari Narayanan and InvestPenang chief executive officer Datuk Seri Loo Lee Lian.
At the event, Chow also announced that Boston Scientific had signed an MoU with InvestPenang to kick-start a pilot project under the Penang ATE Campus initiative, becoming the 12th pilot project MoU executed under the programme.
He said that of the 17 collaborators, five would support concept and design development, another five would focus on assembly, integration and virtual commissioning, while five would provide support for reliability and compliance certification, and the remaining two would provide test equipment services.
“The participation of the technology collaborators would not only strengthen the foundations of the local ATE industry but also contribute to talent development through knowledge sharing and technical engagement.
“For a young engineer in Penang, this means learning about technology from companies such as Siemens and Mitsubishi, right here at home,” he added.
Meanwhile, Hari said the shared laboratory would provide advanced tools and capabilities that smaller companies might not be able to afford to access independently, and access fees could be subsidised, reduced, or waived, depending on the size and capabilities of the companies involved.
"Through this funding, we are bringing those capabilities into the lab so that smaller companies that cannot afford them on their own can come and use them,” he said during a media interview after the event.
He said the ATE Campus initiative would also include developing training programmes in collaboration with industry players to address technical challenges and skills requirements.
Meanwhile, Loo said the facility would also help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) reduce the financial burden of acquiring expensive software and equipment that they might only need occasionally.
She cited an advanced software that could cost about RM2 million as an example, saying companies could instead access it through the shared laboratory by paying a nominal fee whenever they needed to use it.
“This would allow smaller companies to demonstrate their access to advanced technology when bidding for new business opportunities, without having to make substantial upfront investments,” she added.
She said the initiative could help local SMEs scale up their operations and take on larger projects, while larger companies could continue investing in their own equipment and software.
-- BERNAMA