Hyperdrive
Watch Out, the Robot Shipbuilders Are Coming
- Hyundai Heavy tests powerful robot that can curve steel plates
- Machines seen as crucial as industry emerges from deep slump
This article is for subscribers only.
A robot invasion is underway in one of the last labor-intensive industries -- shipbuilding.
In search of lower costs and speedier construction times, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. are embracing automation to build critical sections of their giant container ships, some of which extend 400 meters (430 yards) in length.