Steel under Siege, Innovation as Armour

POSCO, one of the world’s leading steelmakers, is navigating turbulent industry currents marked by global oversupply, decelerating demand, and economic protectionism. In response, Chairman Jang In-hwa has heralded “absolute technological superiority” as the nucleus of the company’s survival and growth strategy. POSCO’s latest focus revolves around integrating intelligent systems and super-gap technologies across its operations to boost efficiency, prevent disruptions, and regain competitive edge.

Fortifying Gwangyang with Predictive Intelligence

At Gwangyang Steelworks, POSCO is revolutionizing facility management by implementing an AI-based abnormal prediction model specifically for Sub Lance cooling systems. Sub Lance is an elongated, rod-like tool essential in steel production, measuring critical parameters like temperature, carbon, and oxygen content in molten metal. These measurements help ensure precise steel composition, influencing overall quality.

Due to its exposure to high thermal stress, Sub Lance equipment demands precise temperature regulation. Overheating can result in inaccurate data or mechanical failures. POSCO’s predictive system monitors cooling water flow and temperature in real time, offering early warnings upon detecting aberrant patterns. This allows for swift intervention, minimizing damage risks and operational interruptions.

Forecasting Failures, Preventing Downtime

What distinguishes this model is its forward-looking functionality. Instead of merely alerting about real-time abnormalities, the system forecasts failures up to 14 hours in advance. This prognostic capacity is based on long-term operational data and AI algorithms that analyze nuanced changes in flow dynamics and temperature gradients. By enabling preemptive maintenance, POSCO secures a more stable production cycle and avoids costly disruptions.

This innovation underscores the company’s strategic commitment to a safer, more intelligent factory model, marrying decades of human experience with data-driven foresight. It not only preserves asset longevity but also enhances overall plant reliability.

Coil Cars Get Smarter at Pohang

Meanwhile, at Pohang Steelworks, POSCO has rolled out an AI-based system to combat material jams in Coil Cars. These vehicles transport wire coils across the plant. Previously, workers depended on visual cues to identify jams, a time-consuming and error-prone process. The new system uses object recognition algorithms tied to CCTV footage, allowing real-time monitoring.

Equipped with an alarm interface in the driver’s cabin, the system alerts operators instantly when coil misalignment or obstruction is detected. This speeds up the response, reducing delays, enhancing safety, and conserving resources.

Training Data to Drive Efficiency

To perfect this innovation, POSCO engineers trained the model using over 3,000 sets of Coil Car movement data. The data-informed system significantly reduced downtime by quickly identifying jams and allowing prompt corrective measures. Where previous recovery procedures demanded significant time and manpower, the new AI-assisted approach yields substantial savings in both.

The technology’s ability to distinguish minor irregularities before they escalate into operational halts offers a glimpse into the future of steel logistics—precise, efficient, and minimally disruptive.

A Synthesis of IoT, AI & Big Data

These advancements exemplify POSCO’s broader mission to blend the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and big data into its production infrastructure. By integrating sensor networks and data processing models, POSCO converts plant floors into intelligent ecosystems. These systems ensure the optimal performance of machines, enhance safety standards, also increase output without compromising quality.

Beyond machinery, this transformation signifies a cultural shift in manufacturing, where experience-based intuition is enhanced by empirical, automated analysis. The steel mill of tomorrow is being shaped today by a confluence of industrial wisdom and technological sophistication.

Accelerating Towards Digital Renaissance

POSCO’s enterprise-wide strategy now revolves around scaling these technologies across all units. With smart systems proving their worth at Gwangyang and Pohang, the firm plans to expand applications such as robotic automation, AI-powered quality control, also advanced safety monitoring across its global operations. Chairman Jang envisions POSCO as not just a steelmaker, but a digital leader within heavy industry.

By investing in such systems, POSCO positions itself as a resilient player in a volatile market. It seeks not only to reduce operational risks but also to redefine steel manufacturing through innovation.

Key Takeaways:

• POSCO developed an AI-based system at Gwangyang Steelworks that predicts equipment failures in Sub Lance cooling systems up to 14 hours in advance.

• A real-time coil jam detection system at Pohang Steelworks reduced downtime and enhanced safety by integrating AI with object recognition and CCTV monitoring.

• POSCO’s strategic pivot combines IoT, AI, and big data to transform its factories into intelligent production hubs and maintain global competitiveness.