Dongkuk CM Detects Steel Sheet Surface Defects with AI Technology

Dongkuk CM, a subsidiary of Dongkuk Steel Group specializing in cold-rolled galvanized and color steel sheets, announced on January 30 that it has succeeded in developing DK SDD, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based steel sheet surface defect detection technology, marking an industry first.

Dongkuk CM has been conducting research and development for over three years to transition its defect judgment process to an AI-based system. As a result, the company has secured the core technology and is preparing to file for a patent. Previously, defect detection on color steel sheet surfaces relied on visual inspection by skilled personnel. With each 20-ton coil measuring approximately 5,000 meters in length and annual production reaching several million tons, inspectors had to visually check the products themselves.

The surface defect detection technology 'DK SDD' has been applied and is operating on the color steel sheet production line at Dongkuk CM's Busan factory. Dongkuk CM

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DK SDD is differentiated from existing technologies in that it can be applied to premium color steel sheets with uneven surfaces and more than 20,000 types of mixed colors. Printed color steel sheets featuring various design patterns often had surface characteristics that could be mistaken for defects, making stable defect detection challenging. However, with this in-house developed technology, stable defect detection is now possible.

This new technology utilizes a hybrid model that combines rule-based techniques and deep learning. High-resolution cameras installed on the production line continuously capture images of the color steel sheets during manufacturing, enabling real-time inspection. Defects can be detected even during high-speed production at 130 meters per minute.

Dongkuk CM has commercialized DK SDD by implementing it on the high-speed color steel sheet production line (2CCL) for construction materials at its Busan factory and is currently conducting performance verification tests on the premium home appliance color steel sheet production line. The company plans to fully commercialize the technology in the second half of this year.

Choi Woochan, Head of the Technology Research Center at Dongkuk CM, stated, "We will not only enhance the competitiveness of our color steel sheet products but also continue to pursue the realization of an AI-based intelligent factory by establishing a sustainable manufacturing environment through process automation and technological advancement."

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