The Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI, President Shin Hee-dong) is promoting R&D on manufacturing-specific AI technology that supports AI-based autonomous factory operations, and it is expected that this will lead to the construction of the world's best AI autonomous manufacturing plant, the future of the manufacturing industry.

On the 28th, KETI held the 'Electronics, Machinery, and Automobile AI Autonomous Manufacturing Leading Project Launch Ceremony' at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul.

Additionally, meetings were held with demand and supply companies to ensure the successful promotion of the project.

AI autonomous manufacturing refers to a future manufacturing environment in which machines, robots, and equipment in charge of production in a factory autonomously collaborate and produce by recognizing, judging, and controlling the status of the manufacturing process using AI technology.

In particular, this technology is evaluated as an essential element for securing future manufacturing competitiveness, such as responding to the decline in the production population by minimizing workers' intervention in the manufacturing process and improving productivity and quality.

As the secretariat and technical support organization for the AI autonomous manufacturing project 'Electronics, Machinery, and Automobiles' sector, KETI will support the development of detailed technologies for building autonomous manufacturing plants required by companies in demand by adding the food sector to electronics, machinery, and automobiles this year.

The first project of this year is the KETI Autonomous Manufacturing Research Center (headquarters), The IT Convergence System Research Center (Gwangju Regional Headquarters), IT Application Research Center (Jeonbuk Regional Headquarters), and ICT Convergence Research Center (Southeastern Regional Headquarters) are expected to participate and develop core AI autonomous manufacturing technologies in earnest.

According to KETI Autonomous Manufacturing Research Center Director Song Byeong-hun, the institute plans to not only support the digitalization of some processes, but also focus more on building an AI autonomous manufacturing plant that makes decisions about the manufacturing process centered on an AI platform.

Specifically, we will conduct joint R&D to build an AI autonomous manufacturing plant with leading companies in the machinery industry, including DN Solutions Co., Ltd. (Gyeongnam), Daedeok Electronics Co., Ltd. (Gyeonggi), DH Global Co., Ltd. (Gwangju) in the electronics industry, and Farmjoa Co., Ltd. (Jeonbuk) in the food industry.

DN Solutions Co., Ltd. builds an AI autonomous manufacturing plant that optimizes processes in real time based on a standard data platform and digital twin by integrating and communicating with cutting machines, autonomous mobile robots, and collaborative robots.

Daedeok Electronics Co., Ltd. plans to minimize the scope of scrap and optimize inspection conditions by increasing the defect detection rate of PCB plating and circuit lines through real-time detection using AI.

DH Global plans to apply AI level 4 autonomy verification and safety technology to the refrigeration pipe work process of premium home appliances, which used to depend on the skill of workers, to ensure worker safety and maintain consistency in the production process.

By introducing a flexible packaging process automation operation system to the food production process centered on small-quantity, multi-variety production, Palmjoa Co., Ltd. is expected to support the production and packaging of multiple types of products on a single line.

Through the launching ceremony, KETI shared its future vision for the development and expansion of AI autonomous manufacturing technology, thereby expressing its will to play a more central role in AI innovation in the manufacturing industry in the future.

Shin Hee-dong, the president of KETI, said, “In the future, KETI will “We plan to develop a common AI model technology specialized for manufacturing that will support the utilization of autonomous manufacturing technology across industries by securing data in the electronics, machinery, food, automobile, steel, and nano-device fields,” he said. “We will also quickly introduce a platform that provides services in the form of a cloud for small and medium-sized businesses that find it difficult to introduce AI technology with their own capabilities.”