South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has launched what it says is the shipbuilding industry’s first robotic pipe spool fabrication facility, set to begin full-scale operations.
The PIPE ROBOFAB facility is located in Haman County in South Gyeongsang Province, on a total area of 6,500 square meters, and is capable of producing approximately 100,000 pipe spools annually.
According to SHI, thanks to the advanced robotic technologies for spool fabrication, the facility enables shorter production lead times as well as enhanced safety.
“AI and automation are an unavoidable trend across all industries,” said Won-young Choi , Head of SHI’s labor association. “However, with the expansion of shipbuilding orders, labor and management will continue to communicate smoothly to increase jobs and ensure employment stability for field employees and a safe workplace.”
The South Korean firm said that it had established a smart management system that integrates the entire process, from piping design to automated logistics, high-precision machining and measurement, alignment, and welding, and has combined it with Vision AI technology to realize a fully automated production system.
“The PIPE ROBOFAB represents an innovation in pipe spool fabrication achieved through the integration of our highly skilled welding expertise and 3X technologies,” said Sung-an Choi , Vice Chairman and CEO of SHI. “It will serve as a catalyst for upgrading the manufacturing competitiveness of the shipbuilding industry.”