SK On Signs MOU for Intelligent Battery Production Equipment with Global Companies Including US and Japan

Productivity Improvement and Reduction of Downtime

SK On is promoting the intelligence of battery production equipment by collaborating with domestic and international companies that possess global-level core technologies. The strategy is to maximize equipment efficiency and increase productivity by utilizing ICT technology.

On the 26th, SK On announced that it signed a six-party memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation to advance battery production equipment control and communication systems with Beckhoff Automation, Cisco, IFM Electronic, Yaskawa Electric Korea, and WooWon Technology at the Green Campus in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

SK On plans to verify the performance, quality, and stability of the technologies and services provided by these companies and discuss strategic cooperation plans for the intelligence of production equipment. SK On expects to strengthen manufacturing competitiveness such as cost reduction and yield improvement without large-scale equipment remodeling.

Together with its partners, SK On will review the advancement of core components and systems related to battery production equipment, including controllers that oversee equipment control, smart sensors for monitoring, communication networks, and power devices.

Controller upgrades are closely related to improving equipment speed and can contribute to increased production volume. Intelligent smart sensors can more accurately and quickly identify equipment status and error-related information, reducing recovery time in case of errors, which leads to higher operating rates.

Advancement of the network system is expected to reduce downtime and enhance data redundancy and security. With the foundation for remote control of equipment established, SK On’s ‘Smart Factory’ promotion strategy is expected to gain further momentum.

Previously, SK On announced that it would implement a ‘Smart Factory’ by introducing the latest equipment and technologies at the currently under-construction Seosan Plant 3, and apply the latest solutions to existing plants to improve productivity.

The companies collaborating with SK On are leaders in the field of industrial equipment control communication technology. Beckhoff and IFM, headquartered in Germany, boast expertise in automation solutions and smart sensors, respectively. Yaskawa Electric, established in Japan in 1915, is famous for industrial robots and machinery manufacturing, while Cisco in the United States is the world’s largest network equipment company. WooWon Technology is a domestic company specializing in battery assembly equipment.

These companies expect that cooperation with SK On, a global battery specialist, will enhance their expertise in control communication solutions related to battery production equipment and bring positive effects such as business expansion and sales growth.

Oh Gi-young, Senior Specialist in Core Equipment Technology at SK On, said, “Based on this cooperation, SK On will establish the foundation for building a smart factory through the intelligence of production equipment,” adding, “We will continue to work with domestic and international partners with global competitiveness to strengthen manufacturing competitiveness in the future.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.