.png)
LG Electronics: "First Results from Changwon Smart Factory"
Published2018.10.26 15:30
A total investment of 600 billion won is planned for completion in early 2023.
Production capacity is expected to increase by up to 50%.
LG Electronics has achieved its first results from its project to build a smart factory at its Changwon plant, a mecca for premium home appliances.
On the 26th, LG Electronics held a 'Smart Factory Construction Commemoration Ceremony' at its Changwon 1 plant in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, attended by Song Dae-hyun, President of the H&A Business Division, Heo Seong-mu, Mayor of Changwon, and Cheon Seong-bong, Director of the Gyeongsangnam-do Future Industry Bureau.
The first building completed in the Smart Factory project is the "Product Specification Testing Center," which measures and analyzes the sounds and frequencies generated by home appliances during operation. Previously distributed testing labs for each product have been consolidated into this center. All LG home appliances manufactured in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do and supplied to global markets undergo rigorous testing here.
Changwon Standard Testing Center Anechoic Chamber
LG Electronics is building an eco-friendly smart factory at its Changwon 1 plant, targeting completion in early 2023. The site covers approximately 256,000 square meters, with a total building floor area of approximately 322,000 square meters. The total investment amount amounts to 600 billion won.
LG Electronics plans to consolidate its existing production lines and testing labs, currently scattered across multiple buildings, into a newly constructed integrated production building and integrated testing building, respectively, and introduce an "integrated control system" utilizing automation and intelligent technology. The integrated control center, currently under construction, is approximately 15% complete.
The "Integrated Control System" automatically organizes material supply and production plans based on product type and quantity, remotely controls production equipment, and monitors quality inspections in real time. This production system, which leverages AI and big data, maximizes both production efficiency and quality competitiveness. This will allow Changwon Plant 1's production capacity to increase by up to 50%, from 2 million units per year to 3 million units.
Additionally, the new plant can reduce greenhouse gases and energy costs by applying eco-friendly energy facilities such as solar panels, energy storage systems (ESS), and high-efficiency air conditioning systems.
Meanwhile, LG Electronics began full-scale operations of its Changwon R&D Center last year, consolidating the capabilities of its home appliance R&D organization. LG Electronics expects that the Changwon 1 plant, which features a state-of-the-art R&D complex and a smart factory, will significantly contribute to strengthening its dominance in the global home appliance market.
Song Dae-hyun, President and Head of LG Electronics' H&A Business Division, emphasized, "This ceremony is the first achievement of building a smart factory and a prelude to the future of the Changwon National Industrial Complex," and "It will strengthen the status of the Changwon plant as a forward base for conquering the global premium home appliance market."
관련뉴스
Smart Factory: Where Does the Temperature Gap Between Government and the Field Come From?
On one side, they say domestic smart factory deployment is rapidly expanding, while on the other side, people ask who they should contact to build a smart factory. These are contrasting statements that frequently emerge at smart factory-related discussion forums, which have come to the forefront as the core of the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution. Why are such reactions occurring regarding smart factories, which refer to production systems where all manufacturing stages are automated and digitalized based on IoT and CPS (cyber-physical systems), and the entire value chain operates in real-time synchronization like a single factory? This reflects a significant temperature gap between the smart factory promotion projects that the government is enthusiastically pursuing and what manufacturing sites actually experience. According to overseas research institutions, 84% of more than 1,000 global companies with revenues exceeding 1 billion dollars as of 2015 are either in the process of building or planning to build smart factories. However, the situation in Korea is somewhat different. According to a survey conducted by the Korea Trade Association in June on visitor interest in smart factory construction at the '2017 Smart Factory Expo & Conference,' 92% of respondents expressed interest but hesitated to implement due to construction costs, connectivity with existing equipment, and employee capabilities. There were even cases where employees themselves opposed implementation due to concerns that smart factory adoption would lead to job losses. What manufacturing sites experience goes further. Many are unaware of where and how to find solutions tailored to their manufacturing processes. There are instances where companies hastily purchase MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) costing hundreds of millions of won, fail in operation, and then repurchase. Companies that can even afford such equipment are fortunate. The majority of manufacturing companies across diverse industries struggle with construction costs, operational workforce, and construction methods. The diversity of Korea's manufacturing industry serves as both an advantage and a disadvantage. This means there are many mid-sized companies. Since the majority of businesses are relatively small in scale, they are cost-sensitive and operate various systems. There is a strong voice that the government must take the lead in standardization for this reason. The argument is that benchmark standards must first be established to integrate various systems across diverse industries. While it is important to immediately promote and deploy smart factories, there are calls to increase R&D investment in how to establish standardization systems. If focus is placed solely on the number of smart factory deployments, there is a risk of overlooking reality. In the past, there were projects to promote automation centered on manufacturing, but there is no guarantee that the smart factory project will not meet the same fate. Professor Hong Seung-ho from Yonsei University, who participated in a digital transformation strategy discussion forum utilizing smart factories, stated, "Smart factories should become technology for SMEs," and added, "Smart manufacturing should not simply be the concept of automation added to smart buildings. Once standardization is applied, it will ultimately be advantageous for SMEs." However, he noted that it will take some time for such benefits to reach SMEs. The same applies to the recently emerging employment issue. Certainly, in digitalized manufacturing processes, simple labor will be replaced, but workforce efficiency must be enhanced through job reallocation of regular employees. Germany, which triggered Industry 4.0, provides a solution through statistics showing that new jobs actually increased. Ultimately, whether it is smart factories, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or anything else, "people" remain at the center. As smart factory issues become increasingly heated recently, the temperature gap between policy and the field is becoming increasingly apparent. Ultimately, active interest among these stakeholders will significantly help narrow the gap.
2017.09.20by 신윤오 기자
스마트 팩토리, 설계에서 제조까지 데이터 대동단결!
스마트팩토리에서 중요한 부분은 R&D 연구소와 제조업의 연계성이다. 이를 위해 제조에 필요한 기술 데이터를 축적해야한다. 국내 스마트팩토리는 기술 수준은 상당부분 증가했으나 원활한 데이터 공유를 위한 회로 관리, CAD 기술 확보는 아직 미흡한 단계이다. 전자부품연구원(KETI)에서 발표한 ‘스마트 팩토리 수준 비교서’를 보면 ERP, MES, 네트워크, PLC 등은 최대 90%까지 기술 수준이 오른 반면, CAD는 20%에 그쳤다. CAD기술 발전이 더딘 이유 중 가장 큰 문제는 많은 비용이 들어간다는 것이다. 데이터 일원화를 하려면 인트라넷과 네트워크를 구축하고 공장 내 수많은 센서를 설치해야 하는데 이를 위한 비용은 중소기업이 자체적으로 감당하기 어렵다. 그 다음 문제는 데이터 전환에 따른 왜곡이다. 연구 단계에서 산출한 데이터가 제조업에 전해지는 과정에서 회로는 거버, 도면, 페이퍼 등으로 바뀐다.
2018.02.09by 김학준 기자
Smart Factories: It's Time to Focus Not Just on Automation, But on Advanced Technology
The government announced the 'Smart Manufacturing Innovation Vision 2025' last year, committing to establishing 30,000 smart factories by 2025. As of 2017, approximately 5,000 smart factories have been distributed. A discussion forum titled 'Measures to Promote Smart Factory Activation' was held, hosted by Representative Kim Chul-min. With participation from small and medium-sized enterprises and industrial complex officials nationwide, discussions were conducted on related legal provisions for smooth budget allocation and strategies to activate smart factories. A survey of companies that have actually implemented smart factories showed positive results, including an average productivity improvement of 30%, a 45% reduction in defect rates, a 16% reduction in costs, and a 35% reduction in delivery lead times. Nevertheless, the lack of a clear definition and regulation for smart factories is becoming an obstacle to growth.
2018.04.03by 김지혜 기자
Ecolab and K-water Discuss Innovation Collaboration in Advanced Industry Water Management
Ecolab and the Korea Water Resources Corporation jointly discussed cooperation directions for maximizing water use efficiency in advanced industries such as semiconductors and data centers and establishing sustainable water circulation. The two companies agreed to gradually develop a long-term cooperation model that combines water resource infrastructure and water management technology to promote water efficiency optimization, water reuse, and carbon reduction.
2026.08.28by 명세환 기자
에이치에너지, 녹색기술인증 획득…솔라온케어 가동률 99.82%
에이지에너지가 태양광 발전예측 및 I-V커브 이상진단 기술로 중소벤처기업부 녹색기술인증을 획득했다. AI 기반 자산관리 플랫폼 솔라온케어는 전국 3,000개 이상 발전소에 적용되어 99.82%의 시스템 가동률과 3.7% 발전성능 개선을 달성했다. 실시간 데이터 분석을 통해 모듈 노화와 부분 음영 등 미세한 손실을 조기에 감지하고 관리함으로써 발전 수익을 보호한다.
2026.08.25by 명세환 기자
