TOKYO –
Kawasaki Heavy Industries has unveiled a prototype next-generation shipbuilding robot that can climb vertically along ship hulls, part of an effort to use physical AI to address labor shortages and preserve skilled manufacturing techniques.
“The number of Japanese workers employed in the shipbuilding industry is continuing to decline over the medium term,” Kawasaki Heavy Industries President Yasuhiko Hashimoto said. “In addition to labor shortages, the industry faces major challenges in passing on skilled techniques and know-how.”
The robot, currently under development, is designed to move vertically across the exterior of ship hulls and perform tasks such as welding without being affected by weather conditions.
Shipyards have seen a particularly sharp decline in experienced welders, raising concerns over the transfer of specialized skills to younger workers.
Kawasaki Heavy plans to incorporate the knowledge and techniques of veteran workers into physical AI systems capable of controlling robots autonomously, with the aim of advancing automation at shipbuilding sites.
The company plans to begin testing the robot at a plant in Kagawa Prefecture from the next fiscal year, with full-scale operations scheduled to begin in fiscal 2028.
Source: TBS
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