Hyundai Rotem to adopt Hyundai Motor smart tech at aerospace plant
Hyundai Rotem displays its unmanned combat platforms, including the RB-01K quadruped robot, left, and a multipurpose unmanned ground vehicle / Courtesy of Hyundai Rotem
Korean defense and railway systems manufacturer Hyundai Rotem said Tuesday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hyundai Motor to bring the automaker's smart factory technology into its aerospace production facility, aiming to improve workplace safety and product quality.
Under the agreement, the two Hyundai Motor Group affiliates will work together to introduce automated systems at Hyundai Rotem's aerospace plant. Hyundai Rotem has been developing technology for ducted ramjet and hypersonic engines, as well as methane engines for reusable launch vehicles, through projects with the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement — Korea's state-run defense research bodies.
The company plans to apply Hyundai Motor's AI-based smart factory technology to high-risk stages of its aerospace manufacturing process, aiming to create safer working conditions while strengthening quality competitiveness. Hyundai Rotem said a safety incident could disrupt development and production schedules for its advanced aerospace products, making stronger on-site safety management a priority.
The move builds on Hyundai Rotem's recent expansion into aerospace. In March, the company signed a separate investment agreement with North Jeolla Province and Muju County to build an aerospace production base, with plans to invest about 300 billion won ($217 million) by 2034 to create a hub for manufacturing, research and development.
Last year, Hyundai Rotem won a contract from ADD for core technology covering the airframe structure and propulsion system of a long-range air-to-air missile, and the company said it has already secured component-level manufacturing capability for the project. Hyundai Rotem has worked on aerospace engine technology for nearly three decades, dating to its role in developing Korea's first liquid-propellant rocket in the 1990s, and began ramjet engine development in the early 2000s before expanding into hypersonic engines.
"This technology partnership will help resolve safety risks at our aerospace production sites," a Hyundai Rotem official said.
"We will use advanced unmanned technology to build a zero-accident work environment and reliably supply engines and propulsion systems of flawless quality."
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.