LG Chem innovates chemical industry with emerging technology

An employee at LG Chem's Daesan factory in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, monitors workers' safety through installed cameras, on Tuesday. Courtesy of LG Chem

LG Chem is introducing various cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and big data into its major businesses in petrochemicals, advanced materials and life sciences, the company said on Wednesday.

It plans to optimize shop floors and lead the progression of the chemical industry with core technologies in preparation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

First, the company introduced an AI chatbot called ChemBot in its company-wide business portal to increase worker convenience and efficiency. ChemBot communicates and gives answers to people's questions through text with a messenger-based interactive system.

Its main functions include people searching, schedule management and text messaging. It is also designed to help with difficult jargon used in the industry. Workers can deal with various tasks by giving orders in simple sentences.

In the future, LG Chem plans to accumulate work-related knowledge in the form of big data through ChemBot, enabling autonomous learning.

In addition, the company is leading the technological evolution of manufacturing processes by incorporating information and communications technology (ICT) for production, research and development and environmental safety.

The petrochemical sector is set to increase its productivity by reducing the defect rate in the production process and increasing work efficiency through IoT and big data-based learning.

In 2018, LG Chem installed cameras at its production line for superabsorbent polymers in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, and adopted a deep learning algorithm that studies moving images to find the causes of line shutdowns.

It is currently operating an AI system that can detect 99.75 percent of defect-causing foreign substances at the SAP production facility. LG Chem plans to adopt the system at its other factories around the country.

(Advertorial)