Hyundai Heavy Develops Mini Welding Robot for Shipbuilding

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), the world’s biggest shipbuilder and a leading industrial robot manufacturer, today announced the Company has developed mini welding robots for building ships.

The compact design of the welding machine, measuring 50 cm by 30 cm by 15cm when retracted its welding arm, can operate in confined areas inaccessible to human welders.

The robot’s six joints enable the machine to carry out almost all types of welding work at a similar speed usually done by a welder.

Moreover, a magnet on its body means the machine can be attached to steel walls or ceilings. Weighing just 15 kg, an operator can control three machines at the same time increasing productivity threefold.

With the installation of software for steel cutting, blasting and painting, the robot can perform these other shipbuilding roles. Hyundai Heavy also plans to improve the robots to be usable for building onshore/offshore facilities and construction equipment. The mobile welding robots are scheduled to be used in building ships in Hyundai Heavy from the second half of this year.

Hyundai Heavy, South Korea’s largest industrial robot manufacturer, also manufactures 20 models of car assembly robots, 10 models of LCD handling robots, and is in the process of developing various types of surgical robots in association with Asan Medical Center.