Posco looks to boost efficiency, safety with smart factories

BY KIM YEONSOO, Korea JoongAng Daily - Posco is moving forward with its plan to convert its facilities into smart factories.  
 

It has combined five decades of expertise and field experience with the internet of things (IoT), AI and big data to construct an optimal production site equipped with a highly efficient, low-cost fabrication process.

Moreover, Posco is applying steelmaking-specific intelligent technologies to develop a smart factory — a manufacturing facility that incorporates automated processes and collaboration among robots.
 
Posco is also advancing the development of smart technology that integrates CCTV cameras in the steel plant with AI-powered video recognition technology to automate previously manual monitoring duties.
 
The highlight of this technology is its ability to automate simple and inefficient monitoring tasks while minimizing installation costs.
 
Fire hazards are commonplace in steel mills. As thousands of conveyor belts transport raw materials within the factory, friction between the belts and the materials can ignite a fire. If left untreated in its early stages, a fire can spread rapidly among the raw materials, causing a massive facility malfunction.
 
As such, workers constantly monitor the facilities to detect fires, but the vast inspection territory and the need for around-the-clock surveillance create difficulties when relying solely on human labor.
 
To solve this issue, the raw materials factory in Posco’s Pohang Blast Furnace No. 3 has developed an AI monitoring system that can distinguish between day and night while detecting smoke or fire. This system monitors for fires in real time and sends out an alert signal along with video footage if it detects any abnormal signs. The system was completed in April and is currently in use in the factory’s operating room.
 
The Gwangyang steel plant has also implemented an AI-powered quality control system in its coil packaging line since August. This system aims to ensure that products meet the criteria set by clients and are shipped to the correct customers. Preventing mismatches between order details and actual products is crucial, as such incidents incur not only financial costs for returns and remanufacturing but also damage trust between the company and its clients.

The system automatically recognizes labels, silicone pads, bands, barcodes and packaging materials to determine whether a product meets its requirements. By comparing client-provided information with the data it detects during inspection, the system can identify flaws in real time. It sends out an alert when an issue is detected, allowing for a swift response.

From automating manual tasks to monitoring operational conditions and product quality, Posco will continue to lessen the burden on its workers with its AI-backed CCTV cameras, improving productivity and profitability while strengthening its foundation to fully establish a smart factory.

Source: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-10-29/business/guestReports/Posco-looks-to-boost-efficiency-safety-with-smart-factories-/2165910 

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