[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 become the biggest topic in the industry this year. AI, which has already been introduced into manufacturing sites, has proven to play a leading role in improving productivity. This year, its scope is set to expand in earnest. However, concerns about job losses lie beneath the surface of AI-driven production innovation. This is because the so-called 'Dark Factory' concept, where production is carried out without human intervention, is gradually becoming a reality, making full automation possible. Yet, the changes in jobs at manufacturing sites applying AI, as confirmed by The Asia Business Daily, are complex. There is a clear division of roles: machines handle repetitive and dangerous tasks, while humans are responsible for judgment, management, and accountability. In other words, AI is not pushing people out but is beginning to redefine jobs. The AI era presents not only challenges in productivity and technological competition but also the task of job transformation. The Asia Business Daily visited industrial sites in the new year to directly observe the changes in employment driven by AI.

Spread across an enormous 1.4 million-pyeong site is Hanwha Ocean's Okpo Shipyard in Geoje, Gyeongnam. In one corner of the welding workshop-a core process-a welder stood in front of a pipe joint. After installing a guide around the joint and pressing a few buttons, the collaborative robot arm slowly moved along the uneven 'gap' between the connected pipes. This was an area where workers previously had to endure unstable postures, bending over with a torch in hand. Now, the robot continues the weld at a consistent speed and angle, while the worker, standing a few steps away, monitors the process on a screen, making only fine adjustments to the current and angle. The work that once relied on physical endurance has transformed into a process managed by monitoring a display. A collaborative robot refers to a robot that assists workers within the same workspace.

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 purpose was to prevent work disruptions caused by a decline in skilled labor, but the focus shifted toward recording technology as data and standardizing processes 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, 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, thereby passing down work skills."

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 used in a single ship is so extensive that it could cover the round trip between Seoul and Geoje. Moreover, workers are routinely exposed to high temperatures, sparks, and metal dust, leading to significant risks of heat-related illnesses and musculoskeletal strain. Meanwhile, the know-how acquired through work was scattered across the field, relying solely on individual experience. As a result, work methods and decision-making standards were not systematically recorded. In response to the decline in highly skilled welders, the proportion of foreign workers was increased, but often, just as their skills were accumulating, they would return to their home countries. This led to a structural break in the transfer of expertise.

The introduction of AI robots has changed the role of skilled workers. As robots take over repetitive and physically demanding tasks, the health burden on workers has decreased, and the consistency of weld quality has visibly improved. Senior Researcher 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 the process conditions, the total process time can reportedly be reduced by up to 30%.

Lee Jeongcheol, Head of Assembly Team 1, who has worked on-site for over 30 years, said, "As AI robots take on labor-intensive work, employees can focus more on setting work paths, monitoring, and making quality judgments as operators." Thus, not only the work methods but also 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 start. Lee explained, "In the early days, the equipment was heavy and had a narrow range of applications, so many people thought, 'Humans are actually faster,'" adding, "But as the robots became lighter and their performance improved, and as they increasingly met the needs of the field, the atmosphere changed." He continued, "At first, people found them cumbersome and unfamiliar, but at some point, they became essential to the work. These days, if a robot breaks down, welders say, 'We can't work today.'"

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

Hanwha Ocean is expanding or reviewing the application of robots, especially in high-risk processes. This approach involves sharing the risks and burdens that workers have shouldered with technology. Shipyard automation is not about replacing people; rather, it is a process of restructuring work so that machines handle high-risk tasks while humans manage the processes.