Posted on 18 Dec 2025
Hyundai Steel is accelerating the smart transformation of its production lines by deploying robots in the inspection and packaging stages of wire rod processing.
In November, the company became the first in Korea to introduce and operate an automated wire rod tagging robot at its specialty plant in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province. The robot automatically attaches tags containing product history, specifications and other key information on the coil shipping line.
Hyundai Steel has been moving toward unmanned and automated shipping operations to minimize errors — such as steel grade mix-ups caused by incorrect tagging — and to improve workplace safety, introducing robots as part of that effort.
The wire rod tagging robot system consists of an assembly robot, an attachment robot and supporting equipment such as conveyors, coil fixtures and safety fences. The assembly robot attaches clips to printed product tags. When wire rods are placed on fixtures along the conveyor, the attachment robot scans the product, identifies the correct attachment point and automatically affixes the tag.
Hyundai Steel has been working with Italy-based steel automation specialist BM Group Polytec since last year to deploy the robots. Over roughly two years, the two companies designed the system to ensure efficient and safe operation by clearly separating robot operating zones from areas accessed by workers.
“Replacing a task that previously relied on manual labor with robots has improved operational efficiency,” a Hyundai Steel official said. “We plan to continue expanding investments related to robotics in line with global steel industry trends.”
Meanwhile, Hyundai Steel has been advancing smart manufacturing across its production, inspection and shipping processes. In July, the company introduced a robot at its Incheon plant that inspects the dimensions and surface temperature of high-temperature beam blanks.
Source:The Korea Times
