Integrating 5G into Shipbuilding
Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) Group is strengthening cooperation with KT Corp. to speed up the transformation of its dockyard into a 5G-based smart shipyard. The group is seeking to make a leap forward by integrating 5G mobile communications into shipbuilding.
The two sides agreed in May this year to cooperate in promoting 5G-based robotics and smart factory businesses. In November, they reviewed the results of their cooperation during the past six months. At the time, they presented an AI-based voice-command collaborative robot, a robot management system based on a cloud, a new hotel amenity robot and a smart factory platform called Factory Makers.
On Dec. 16, officials from the two sides got together at HHI Group’s main office in Ulsan on the southeastern coast to review the progress in transforming HHI dockyards into a 5G-based smart shipyard.
“The shipbuilding industry is not immune to the wave of the 4th Industrial Revolution,” said Kwon Oh-gap, chairman of HHI Group. “Building smart shipyards based on 5G will play a big role in reviving the shipbuilding industry.”
"We will lead the efforts to innovate the Korean manufacturing industry through business cooperation with KT, a leading 5G telecommunication company," Kwon added.
On the day, KT chairman Hwang Chang-kyu and about 20 KT executives observed safety officials wearing 360-degree wearable neckbands at the Integrated Control Center of Hyundai Heavy Industries. They also watched production workers download design drawings at a 5G kiosk. The time to download design drawings at 5G kiosks was reduced from tens of minutes to minutes.
"It depends on the drawing size, but the downloading time has been reduced from about 10 minutes in the past to two minutes and 30 seconds, about one fourth," said an HHI official.
They also confirmed the improvement in building a pilot maritime communications network which ensures stable communications at sea without interruptions. KT secured maritime communication coverage from Gampo Port to Cape Homi by improving the quality of its marine network.