A domestic research team has developed and successfully commercialized a top-performance automated balancing machine capable of automatically and precisely measuring and correcting micro-mass imbalances in rotating bodies. It has great industrial significance in that it has achieved self-sufficiency in domestic manufacturing equipment that is key enough to be classified as strategic materials subject to Japanese export controls.

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), under the National Research Council of Science and Technology, announced on the 5th that the research team led by Principal Researcher Kim Byeong-ok of the AX Convergence Research Center of the Virtual Engineering Platform Research Headquarters and PNS Co., Ltd. jointly secured the core technology for a high-precision automated balancing machine.

This achievement is the result of the 'Development of a High-Precision Balancing Machine Automation System' and 'Verification of a Data-Based Intelligent Balancing Machine System' projects, which were carried out with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

A balancing machine is a device that measures the mass imbalance of a rotating body and corrects it to within the tolerance range specified in the international standard ISO 21940-11.

Existing overseas equipment relied on manual and semi-automatic methods, which had limitations in ensuring repeatability and equipment reliability.

On the other hand, the equipment developed this time implemented detection of residual imbalance of 0.1 micrometers (㎛) level by applying high-sensitivity measurement technology based on vibration sensors, high-speed signal processing, and AI-based data purification algorithms.

Additionally, the closed-loop correction algorithm that integrates cutting speed, depth, and position automatically calculates optimal correction conditions that match the rotating body shape, material, and rotation conditions.

Equipped with an autonomous calibration function that maintains the equipment's accuracy on its own and real-time status diagnosis logic, it has practicality that can be immediately applied to production lines.

The technology was successfully commercialized in July 2025, when the first supply contract was signed with an eco-friendly automobile parts manufacturer.

By replacing automated balancing machines, which were previously entirely dependent on imports, with domestically produced equipment, supply chain stability is expected to be enhanced, along with the quality competitiveness of strategic industries such as automobiles, energy, aviation, and defense.
<br /> Senior Researcher Kim Byeong-ok stated, “We have achieved self-sufficiency in core equipment for precision manufacturing processes using domestic technology and have proven its performance in industrial settings,” and added, “We will continue to advance follow-up technologies and expand the scope of application.”