On February 25, 2025, the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, hosted a delegation of executives and engineers from Western Digital Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd., led by: – Dr. Xiaodong Che (Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, HDD Business Unit) – Mr. Philip Bernard (Senior Vice President, Global HDD Assembly and Backend Operations) – Ms. Nathalita Poopirom (Vice President and Managing Director, HDD Operations, Bang Pa-in) Accompanied by the management team and engineers from WD, the delegation visited the campus to exchange technological expertise and explore further collaboration in research and human resource development—continuing a long-standing partnership between the two organizations.
Their discussions focused on advancing technology and innovative strategies for the evolution of hard disk drive manufacturing and smart systems. During the visit, the WD delegation toured the research laboratories at the Faculty of Engineering, including:
• Department of Materials Engineering Under the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ratchatee Techapiesancharoenkij, Head of the Department of Materials Engineering, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Ampika Bansiddhi, Deputy Head of the Department and Head of the Materials Innovation Center, the department showcased a variety of innovative materials and products developed by its faculty. The tour included demonstrations of advanced material analysis equipment and various production process laboratories to identify potential collaborative research and human resource development opportunities between WD and Kasetsart University.
• Department of Electrical Engineering
– Cold Plasma Research Center Led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Siwapon Srisonphan, this center demonstrated the use of plasma technology for surface cleaning, a process that enhances product quality, process stability, and production efficiency.
– CMIT Robotics Laboratory, under the guidance of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chowarit Mitsantisuk, the laboratory presented collaborative research projects with WD, including Smart automated sorting and palletizing process for HDD products and advanced technology upskill development program for smart manufacturing 4.0. Additionally, emerging future technologies were introduced, such as: Development of Autonomous Intelligence & Human-Centric Systems, including Immersive Technology (VR/AR/MR) for training and production control, Intelligence Augmentation (IA), aimed at enhancing human capabilities with AI, and smart systems applicable across various industrial sectors.
• Department of Industrial Engineering Research led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chana Raksiri was showcased, featuring a semi-automatic robotic system for managing and evaluating upper arm muscle performance in children with cerebral palsy. This system, designed specifically for the physiology of Thai children, can be further developed to assist in the rehabilitation of patients with paralysis and hemiplegia. This visit reflects the strong partnership between Kasetsart University and Western Digital Storage Technologies (Thailand), emphasizing their commitment to advancing research and technology to keep pace with industrial transformation and to develop a skilled workforce for the future of industry.
The Faculty of Engineering extends its sincere gratitude to the executives and engineers from WD, as well as to the faculty, staff, and students who have contributed to driving this collaboration, ultimately benefiting the development of technology and industry in the country.
