NC AI to develop AI-powered autonomous welding system for Hanwha Ocean shipyards

A promotional image of NC AI's artificial intelligence-powered autonomous welding system / Courtesy of NC AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) company NC AI said Thursday it has won a contract from Hanwha Ocean to develop an AI-powered autonomous welding system aimed at automating one of the most labor-intensive and technically demanding processes in shipbuilding.

The project, titled “Development of a Vision Recognition-Based Welding Model and Collaborative Robot-Based Autonomous Welding Model,” seeks to combine advanced computer vision and robotic control technologies to enable welding robots to identify weld seams, make real-time decisions and perform welding operations with minimal human intervention.

The initiative targets a longstanding challenge for the shipbuilding industry, where welding quality and productivity have traditionally relied heavily on the skills and experience of veteran workers.

According to NC AI, the companies aim to move beyond conventional industrial automation systems that repeatedly follow preprogrammed paths. Instead, the new system is designed to allow robots to recognize welding targets autonomously, assess changing conditions and adjust welding operations in real time.

Shipyard welding environments present significant technical obstacles for AI vision systems. Intense arc light, sparks, airborne welding fumes, outdoor operating conditions and contamination of camera lenses can interfere with visual recognition and precision control.

To address those challenges, NC AI said it is conducting field-based research using operational data collected from Hanwha Ocean shipyards.

Engineers from both companies are working together to refine AI models capable of accurately identifying welding lines and detecting defects even under heavy visual noise and harsh industrial conditions.

The final system is expected to be applied to the construction of commercial vessels as well as special-purpose ships, which require higher levels of precision and security.

NC AI plans to use its next-generation industrial vision-language model, called VAETKI Vision, as the core engine for the project. The model is designed to interpret visual information and human instructions simultaneously and is expected to evolve into a Vision-Language-Action system capable of directly controlling robotic movements.

Under the concept, workers could issue instructions through natural language rather than programming code. The AI system would then analyze the shape of components and the condition of weld seams, determine optimal welding parameters such as torch angle and speed, and generate control commands for collaborative robots.

NC AI, an AI subsidiary of Korean gaming company NC Corporation, has recently expanded into industrial and physical AI applications, including defense robotics projects with Hyundai Rotem and technology collaborations with POSCO DX.

The Hanwha Ocean project marks the company's latest move into the shipbuilding and maritime sector.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.