LS Electric is introducing four-legged robots to its high-voltage transformer production site. With an increase in transformer output due to investments in AI data centers and power grids, the company aims to enhance quality and production stability by continuously monitoring equipment and processes.
On September 22, LS Electric announced the formal operation of two Boston Dynamics Spot robots at its Busan facility. After a two-month trial run with Hyundai AutoEver starting in July, the robots are now being applied in the actual production environment.
The Spot robots will first inspect the vacuum drying process, a key procedure in high-voltage transformer production. They will use thermal cameras to check the sealing of chamber doors and detect heat leaks, while also collecting temperature, noise, and vibration data from vacuum pumps, motors, and control panels. This predictive maintenance system aims to identify anomalies early, reducing equipment failures and production disruptions.
The robots will also be utilized for environmental inspections. As they autonomously patrol the factory, they will verify temperature and humidity control systems using AI-based vision inspection (AIVI) and gather data from areas that fixed sensors might overlook. LS Electric plans to analyze the accumulated data to understand the correlation between production environments and product quality.
In the second quarter of this year, LS Electric's sales of high-voltage transformers increased by 91.2% compared to the same period last year. The second production building for high-voltage transformers, completed last year in Busan, has entered a stabilization phase, highlighting the importance of smart factory investments to enhance production capacity and equipment operational stability.
Key utility equipment, including test facilities, motors, coolers, pumps, and chillers, will also be subject to inspections. The robots will patrol areas with restricted access for workers or around hazardous equipment, reducing the potential for safety incidents and automating repetitive inspection tasks.
Based on the data collected at the Busan facility, LS Electric plans to build an AI analysis model and expand its application to major production bases both domestically and internationally. In the long term, the company aims to establish a digital manufacturing platform that integrates production, quality, and safety data.
An LS Electric official stated, "We plan to actively integrate AI and robotics technology into our manufacturing sites to secure competitiveness in quality, pricing, and delivery. Starting with the Busan facility, we will accelerate the digital transformation across all our operations."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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