During a meeting with reporters from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy at EcoPro's Pohang campus on June 11, Song emphasized that the secondary battery industry is not driven by a few geniuses but rather by many skilled material and process developers working together. He noted, "China is deploying a large workforce in battery-related fields, producing results at an alarming rate."
He added, "I believe AI is the best solution to this challenge, as it can replace the work of dozens of people and minimize trial and error. We are in a process of changing our previously disadvantageous environment compared to China. It is crucial for both companies and the government to actively work together to enhance the national competitiveness of the secondary battery sector."
This shift comes as the cathode materials market undergoes changes. Cathode materials are essential components that determine the capacity and voltage of batteries by releasing or absorbing lithium ions during charging and discharging. EcoPro's market share in the nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) cathode materials sector dropped from first place in 2023 to sixth in 2024.
China is leveraging its supply chain from mining to cathode materials, along with cost competitiveness. EcoPro finds itself at a disadvantage in terms of initial investment costs and operational expenses compared to China. As a result, the company believes it must enhance productivity through AI-based autonomous operations.
EcoPro's subsidiary, EcoPro BM, is developing an AI-driven autonomous manufacturing system aimed at improving the quality prediction and productivity of battery electrode materials. The goal is to establish an innovative autonomous manufacturing line that reduces processing costs by 30% and achieves 50% automation in administrative tasks.
To achieve this, EcoPro plans to implement automated planning, production progress management, anomaly detection, and autonomous actions based on an AI Integrated Control Center (ACC) in the production area. In the quality sector, the company will create a system where AI autonomously manages raw materials and key recipes. In the equipment sector, it will utilize autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for routine inspections and predictive maintenance of key equipment, while also employing CCTV and sensors to preemptively address safety and environmental risks.
Data is crucial to this initiative. Manufacturing cathode materials involves high-temperature furnaces and dust environments, making real-time quality control challenging. EcoPro BM has begun building a data platform to consolidate previously scattered manufacturing data.
The ultimate goal is to establish the first dark factory for cathode materials. EcoPro BM aims to create a closed AI system that does not rely on external generative AI, integrating ACC, AMRs, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and humanoids to automate input and packaging processes and achieve manufacturing automation by 2030.
Song emphasized, "We plan to increase EcoPro BM's global market share in NCM from about 5% to 20%. Through AI-based autonomous operations, we aim to achieve over 300% productivity compared to China and capture market share."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.