HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has started using compact welding robots that can be moved around the yard to automate difficult welds, including work inside the interior spaces of ships under construction. The move targets tasks that previously required people to enter tight areas, as Korea’s shipbuilding sector faces a shortage of skilled workers.

The set-up combines a portable welding platform from JCT with precision-control technology supplied by Rainbow Robotics. The robotic arm weighs about 11 kg and is intended to be relocated between work sites so welding automation can be applied in confined ship blocks and curved structures.

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering developed the control software that connects ship design drawings to the robot’s welding process. Using design data, the system can set welding points and operating parameters without workers having to manually reprogram the robot each time it is moved.

Industry reports said HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has acquired 35 units, while HD Hyundai Mipo has purchased another 27, as the group expands the use of portable welding automation across its yards.