[Report] "Robots Handle Dangerous Welding, Final Decisions Are Made by Humans"... Hanwha Ocean Shipyard of 'Coexistence' [AI Era, Jobs Are Changing]

Process Time Reduced by Up to 30%... Welding Automation Expands
Dangerous Tasks Decrease as Workers Shift to 'Operator' Roles
Skilled Workers' Tacit Knowledge Transferred to Collaborative Robots as Data

Editor's NoteThe use of artificial intelligence (AI) in industrial sites, including the manufacturing sector, is expected to be the biggest topic in the industry this year. AI, which has already been deployed on manufacturing floors, has proven to play a pivotal role in boosting productivity. This year, its scope will expand in earnest. However, concerns about job losses are emerging alongside the innovation in production driven by AI. This is because the so-called 'Dark Factory' concept, where production occurs without human intervention, is becoming increasingly realistic, making full automation possible. However, The Asia Business Daily's investigation into job changes at manufacturing sites utilizing AI reveals a more complex picture. Repetitive and hazardous tasks are being handled by machines, while humans are taking on roles of judgment, management, and responsibility, resulting in a clear division of labor. Rather than displacing people, AI is beginning to redefine jobs. The AI era brings not only challenges of productivity and technological competition, but also the task of workforce transition. The Asia Business Daily visited industrial sites at the start of the new year to directly observe the job changes brought by AI.

The vast Okpo Shipyard of Hanwha Ocean, spanning 1.4 million pyeong in Geoje, Gyeongnam. At one side of the welding workshop, a welder stands in front of a pipe joint, a core process. After installing guides around the pipe and pressing a few buttons, the collaborative robot arm slowly moves along the uneven gaps between the joined pipes.This section used to require workers to hold a torch and endure in an unstable, bent posture. Now, the robot continues welding at a consistent speed and angle, while the worker stands a few steps away, monitoring the process on a screen and making only fine adjustments to the current and angle. The physically demanding work has shifted to a process managed through a monitor. A collaborative robot refers to a robot that assists workers in the same space.

A welder is working using a collaborative robot for pipe welding at the Hanwha Ocean shipyard in Geoje, Gyeongnam. Hanwha Ocean

Hanwha Ocean introduced collaborative robots in 2019. Initially, the main goal was to prevent work gaps caused by a decrease in skilled personnel, but the focus shifted to recording the technology as data and standardizing the process to maintain consistent quality.

Dongyoung Kim, Senior Researcher of the Welding Technology Research Team at the Manufacturing Innovation Research Center, whom we met at Hanwha Ocean headquarters on the 17th of last month, also pointed out the structural limitations of pipe welding. He said, "Pipe welding, which often involves curved shapes, is particularly dependent on skilled workers," adding, "However, such skilled personnel are gradually decreasing." He continued, "The goal of introducing collaborative robots is to record the tacit knowledge that was only in the minds of skilled workers as data, so that work skills can be passed down."

Dongyoung Kim, Senior Researcher of the Welding Technology Research Team at the Manufacturing Innovation Research Center, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily near the Hanwha Ocean headquarters in Geoje, Gyeongnam, on the 17th of last month. Geoje=Photo by O Ji-eun

Pipe welding is a core process in shipbuilding. The total length of welds on a single ship is so extensive that it could span the distance between Seoul and Geoje and back. Moreover, the work is routinely performed in high-temperature environments, exposing workers to sparks and metal dust, which significantly increases the risk of heat-related illnesses and musculoskeletal disorders. Meanwhile, the know-how acquired through the work has been scattered across the field, relying solely on individual experience. As a result, work methods and decision criteria have not been systematically recorded. To address the decrease in highly skilled welders, the proportion of foreign workers was increased, but often, by the time their skills had accumulated, they would return to their home countries. This has led to a structural break in the transmission of expertise.

With the introduction of AI robots, the roles of skilled workers have changed. Robots now handle repetitive and physically demanding tasks, reducing the health burden on workers and significantly improving the consistency of weld quality. Kim explained, "When comparing humans and robots, the actual welding time is not much different, but the minor time spent checking positions and setting up is reduced, which increases overall efficiency." Depending on process conditions, the total process time can be shortened by up to 30%.

Lee Jeongcheol, who has worked on site for over 30 years and is the manager of Assembly Team 1, said, "As AI robots take on labor-intensive work, employees can focus more on setting work paths, monitoring, and making quality judgments as operators." Not only work methods, but the roles of on-site personnel themselves have changed.

At Hanwha Ocean Shipyard in Geoje, Gyeongnam, the block welding robot 'Dandi' is in operation. In addition, Hanwha Ocean applies small robots such as 'Caddy,' 'Indy,' and 'Rondi' to join ship plates in confined spaces. Hanwha Ocean

Welding robot used in the mounting process at Hanwha Ocean Shipyard in Geoje, Gyeongnam. Hanwha Ocean

The introduction of robots was not smooth from the beginning. Lee recalled, "In the early days, the equipment was heavy and had limited applications, so many people responded, 'It's faster for a person to do it.'" He continued, "However, as the robots became lighter and their performance improved, and as they gradually met on-site needs, the atmosphere changed." He added, "At first, people found them cumbersome and unfamiliar, but at some point, they became indispensable. Nowadays, if a robot breaks down, welders say, 'We can't work today.'"

These changes are spreading throughout all processes at the shipyard. In the cutting plant, plasma cutting is used to cut steel plates at temperatures up to 15,000 degrees, with laser and gas cutting also in use. In the pre-treatment stage, shot blasting removes surface contaminants, and the painting process is repeated five to seven times to ensure ships last 25 to 30 years. The pre-outfitting process involves pre-installing pipes and parts during assembly to increase efficiency.

Hanwha Ocean is expanding or reviewing the application of robots, especially in high-risk processes. This approach aims to share the risks and burdens that workers have shouldered with technology. The automation of shipyards is not about replacing workers, but rather restructuring work so that machines handle high-risk tasks while humans manage and oversee the processes.