A Yaskawa robot transfers finished products to a quality inspection measuring system on the stator production line for drive motor cores at POSCO Mobility Solution’s Pohang plant. (Image courtesy of POSCO Group)
SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — POSCO Group said it is expanding the use of industrial robots across its electric-vehicle components business through a partnership with Yaskawa Electric, as it seeks to accelerate automation and boost production efficiency in key growth markets.
The group’s auto-parts unit, POSCO Mobility Solution, signed a cooperation agreement on Wednesday at its Cheonan plant to scale up robot deployment in the production of drive motor cores—critical components that convert battery power into rotational energy in electric and hybrid vehicles.
Under the agreement, POSCO Mobility Solution will define operational requirements for robots used on the production floor, while POSCO DX will oversee system integration, including robot placement, automation layout design and overall deployment of automated manufacturing systems. Yaskawa will supply robots optimized for factory conditions and provide technical support and after-sales service.
The companies plan to introduce robots capable of transporting motor cores to inspection equipment and sorting finished products by quality grade. Deployment will begin at plants in Cheonan and Pohang before being expanded to overseas production sites in Poland, Mexico and India.
POSCO Mobility Solution and POSCO DX installed and began operating similar robots at the Pohang plant last year. The motor cores produced there are supplied to global automakers including Hyundai Motor, Tesla and Stellantis.
Yaskawa, one of the world’s three largest industrial robot manufacturers, is known for its motion-control-based robotics technology, which is widely used in high-speed, high-precision manufacturing processes.
A POSCO Group official said the company aims to deepen its collaboration with Yaskawa to develop “physical AI”-based automation by combining robotics with artificial intelligence, and to extend such systems beyond its own affiliates to external industrial sites.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
