Kicking Off Digital Transformation... Autonomous Factory Construction Project Launch Ceremony for Manufacturing Companies

Held at the Chong Kun Dang Cheonan Plant in Chungnam
Up to 600 million won in support per company for up to two years
This year, planning organizations also join the consortium

Manufacturing companies selected for the Autonomous Factory Construction Project, along with technology firms that will assist with artificial intelligence (AI) implementation, have officially begun their digital transformation efforts.

Inside a smart factory in Cheonan, Chungnam

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on September 18 that it held a kick-off ceremony at the Chong Kun Dang Cheonan Plant in Chungnam with the companies chosen for the autonomous factory initiative. The event was attended by more than 50 participants, including representatives from the selected companies and related organizations.

This kick-off ceremony was organized to encourage participating companies to design successful leading models as they embark on building autonomous factories. The event also included a roundtable discussion aimed at generating results, as well as a tour of the Chong Kun Dang plant.

The government-led Autonomous Factory Construction Support Project, which has been underway since last year, provides up to 600 million won per company annually for up to two years, totaling 1.2 billion won per company when including corporate contributions. By implementing AI and digital twin technologies, the project aims to create a leading model for autonomous manufacturing that minimizes worker intervention in the production process. The government selected 20 companies last year and has chosen an additional 20 companies this year.

This year, in particular, the consortium will include not only technology companies that develop and build solutions and systems, but also planning organizations that support requirement analysis, process analysis, and the development of customized strategies for the adopting companies. This is expected to further ensure the practical success of autonomous factories.

The selected companies are expected to be able to monitor and control the product manufacturing process in real time and conduct predictive simulations (virtual experiments). This will enable them to optimize production conditions, improve quality, and prevent product defects and safety accidents.

Coavis, which was selected last year and presented as a best practice case, reported that it established an unmanned environment on its automotive parts production line, which is vulnerable to temperature and external dust, and implemented optimal process management and control by utilizing AI technology in virtual reality. As a result, productivity increased by 56 percent and factory equipment troubles decreased by 20 percent.

At the roundtable discussion, participating companies proposed: ▲ follow-up support measures after autonomous factory construction, ▲ strengthening the capabilities of technology companies and fostering specialized talent, and ▲ establishing data standardization and sharing platforms. In response, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups stated that it would incorporate these suggestions into future policies, further accelerating AI transformation and specifying plans to nurture technology companies.

No Yongseok, Vice Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, stated, "Autonomous factories go beyond simple smartization and represent the factories of the future, aiming for autonomous manufacturing by leveraging AI and digital twin technologies based on high-quality data. We will expand the AI factory budget and establish institutional foundations to foster the smart manufacturing industry ecosystem, enabling small and medium-sized enterprises to lead the digital and AI transformation."

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