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Robots in the process flow / Heavy Industry & Shipbuilding

Shipyard Hull Construction Line

Steel pretreatment and NC cutting are already automated, but line heating, block welding, painting, pipe outfitting, and inspection still rely on people, and the shipbuilding workforce keeps shrinking. The big advantage: portable welding robots and quadruped robots can be carried straight into the tight block compartments where people have always worked.

20 tasks across 7 steps can move to robots.

Illustration of a shipyard hull construction line from steel pretreatment, cutting and welding to painting, outfitting, block erection and launch, with robots

Process flow

Select a step to jump to its tasks.

  1. 1Steel intake
  2. 2Cut & bend2 tasks
  3. 3Sub-assembly2 tasks
  4. 4Block assembly7 tasks
  5. 5Painting4 tasks
  6. 6Outfitting2 tasks
  7. 7Erection1 task
  8. 8Inspection2 tasks
  9. 9Launch & trials
Robot-ready tasksDedicated equipmentStays with people

Process sources: 国土交通省 九州運輸局「船ができるまで」 / 国土交通省 海事局 気仙沼市 社会科指導案「船ができるまで」14 工程 / 日本造船工業会 塗装小委員会「造船業における塗装作業について」(2004) / ニュースイッチ「造船倍増、カギはロボット活用」(2026-05-11)

Tasks by step

For each step, the tasks people do today that robots already handle somewhere. Follow the link to candidate robots and proven deployments.

  1. Steel receiving & pretreatment

    Receive, store, and sort plates and sections from the mill, then shot-blast them and apply shop primer in the blast shop.

    Equipment

    Shot blasting and primer coating run on a continuous line; plate handling by crane and magnet is part of that equipment.

  2. Cutting & bending

    NC gas or plasma cutters cut parts from design data. Curved shell plates are bent by skilled workers using line heating (gas torch plus water cooling).

    Robot-ready
    • In use in JapanRobot ArmLine heating of curved shell plates: deciding heating lines and running the torch

      Japan Marine United Tsu Works (Mie): small line-heating robots developed with Osaka Metropolitan University under NEDO went into operation (Oct 2024). Two robots on a 10 m plate, accuracy within 1 cm, expanding to four in FY2024.

      Source: ニュースイッチ (2024-10-04)

    • PoC stageRobot ArmReplacing line heating at multiple yards with a production-model AI bending robot

      Selected under MLIT's AI next-generation shipyard program (Mar 19, 2026): JMU, Osaka Metropolitan University, Kyokuyo Shipyard, Shin Kurushima Sanoyas, and Higaki Shipbuilding will field-test a production-model AI bending robot that computes heating spots instantly at several yards.

      Source: 国土交通省 報道発表 (2026-03-19) / 国土交通省 採択事業リスト（別紙2）

  3. Sub-assembly welding

    Tack longitudinals and frames onto flat plates and weld them into sub-assemblies of a few tons. Since shapes rarely repeat, people handle fixturing, positioning, and welding.

    Robot-ready
    • Proven overseasRobot ArmSimultaneous fillet welding of sub-assemblies by multiple industrial robots

      HD Hyundai Samho (Yeongam, Korea): from Oct 2022, six industrial robots weld sub-assemblies simultaneously, using GMAW to reduce slag.

      Source: The Korea Times (2023-01-24)

    • PoC stageRobot ArmAuto-generating robot instructions from 3D design data and coordinating several welding robots by AI on flat-panel parts

      Imabari Shipbuilding Marugame (Kagawa): under the i-Shipping subsidy, an "automatic welding robot coordination system" that generates instructions from 3D data and pairs robots with portable carriers so people no longer move them (MLIT maritime report; development stage).

      Source: 国土交通省 海事レポート 事例「今治造船」

  4. Mid & grand block assembly

    Combine sub-assemblies into blocks of tens of tons; people weld inside tight compartments, at height, and on curved surfaces, and attach lifting lugs.

    Robot-ready

  5. Blasting & painting

    Blast and grind weld seams and rust on blocks, then apply multiple coats of anticorrosive and antifouling paint. 85% is done outdoors, much of it at height or in closed compartments.

    Robot-ready

  6. Outfitting (piping, electrical, pre-outfitting)

    Fabricate pipe spools (elbows, tees, and flanges welded into units) in the shop and pre-fit them at block stage; cable pulling, machinery, and interiors follow at the quay.

    Robot-ready
    • Proven overseasRobot ArmRobotizing alignment, welding, and measurement of pipe spools in the pipe shop

      Samsung Heavy Industries Pipe RoboFab (Haman, Korea, completed Mar 16, 2026): 6,500 m², about 100,000 pipe spools a year, with design integration, automated logistics, machining, alignment, and welding run by vision AI. Hanwha Ocean Geoje cut prep work 60% with a pipe-welding cobot (Oct 2023).

      Source: Asia Economy (2026-03-16) / The Korea Times (2023-10-14)

    • PoC stageAutonomous Transport RobotMoving outfitting parts and materials around the yard by AMR

      HD Hyundai Samho x LG CNS x HD Hyundai Robotics x HD KSOE (MoU Sep 15, 2025): developing an AMR-based automated logistics system for the yard plus humanoids for measurement, forming, and welding, targeting welding, assembly, outfitting, and inspection.

      Source: Cyprus Shipping News (2025-09-18)

      Candidate robots for this taskTransport Robots: In-factory Inter-process Transport

  7. Block erection (dock)

    Carry painted, pre-outfitted blocks to the dock on transporters, lift them in by goliath crane, and weld them together. Imabari's new dock has three 1,330 t cranes.

    Robot-ready

  8. Inspection (welds, coatings, compartments)

    Visual and NDT checks of weld beads, coating-thickness measurement, and visual inspection inside tanks and holds, done by yard and class surveyors from scaffolds and lifts.

    Robot-ready

  9. Launch, sea trials & delivery

    Flood the dock to launch, finish outfitting and final painting at the quay, verify performance in sea trials, and deliver to the owner.

    People

    Launch and sea trials require owner, class, and yard witnesses and operational judgment. Hanwha Ocean has onshore engineers diagnose remotely during trials, but this is not robot work.

Summary

StepRobot-ready taskStageRobot typeUse-case guide
2. Cutting & bendingLine heating of curved shell plates: deciding heating lines and running the torchIn use in JapanRobot ArmAssembly & Processing
2. Cutting & bendingReplacing line heating at multiple yards with a production-model AI bending robotPoC stageRobot ArmAssembly & Processing
3. Sub-assembly weldingSimultaneous fillet welding of sub-assemblies by multiple industrial robotsProven overseasRobot ArmAssembly & Processing
3. Sub-assembly weldingAuto-generating robot instructions from 3D design data and coordinating several welding robots by AI on flat-panel partsPoC stageRobot ArmAssembly & Processing
4. Mid & grand block assemblyWelding short seams inside blocks with portable welding robots carried by handIn use in JapanRobot ArmAssembly & Processing
4. Mid & grand block assemblyRail-mounted welding cobots compute weld positions from drawings and weld blocks without manual repositioningProven overseasRobot ArmAssembly & Processing
4. Mid & grand block assemblyReplacing welding in confined compartments with lightweight welding robots to offset the welder shortageProven overseasRobot ArmAssembly & Processing
4. Mid & grand block assemblyMagnetic-footed quadrupeds walk through dense longitudinals and along walls and ceilings to weldPoC stageQuadruped RobotAssembly & Processing
4. Mid & grand block assemblyLegged robots that cling by electromagnet climb block exteriors to weld, paint, and verify quality at height and on curvesPoC stageQuadruped RobotAssembly & Processing
4. Mid & grand block assemblyHumanoids trained on veteran welders' motions take over block weldingPoC stageHumanoidAssembly & Processing
4. Mid & grand block assemblyCutting lifting lugs, welding them with robot arms, and moving finished lugs onward by AMRProven overseasAutonomous Transport RobotRobot ArmIn-plant Transport
5. Blasting & paintingCleaning and grinding ship compartments with an autonomous mobility unit that detects obstaclesPoC stageCleaning RobotIndustrial Cleaning & Surface Treatment
5. Blasting & paintingRemoving coatings and rust with a cobot carrying a laser and image-recognition AIPoC stageRobot ArmIndustrial Cleaning & Surface Treatment
5. Blasting & paintingReplacing painting at height with AI painting robots under multi-robot fleet controlPoC stageRobot ArmIndustrial Cleaning & Surface Treatment
5. Blasting & paintingHull washing, blasting, and painting by mobile robots (adjacent case from repair yards)Proven overseasFieldIndustrial Cleaning & Surface Treatment
6. Outfitting (piping, electrical, pre-outfitting)Robotizing alignment, welding, and measurement of pipe spools in the pipe shopProven overseasRobot ArmAssembly & Processing
6. Outfitting (piping, electrical, pre-outfitting)Moving outfitting parts and materials around the yard by AMRPoC stageAutonomous Transport RobotIn-plant Transport
7. Block erection (dock)Replacing transporter driving for super-large blocks between assembly stages and the dock with autonomous transportersPoC stageAutonomous Transport RobotIn-plant Transport
8. Inspection (welds, coatings, compartments)Judging weld-bead quality right after welding with AI integrated into the welding robotProven overseasRobot ArmInspection & Quality Control
8. Inspection (welds, coatings, compartments)Replacing scaffold inspection inside tanks and holds with drone visual checks and thickness gauging (adjacent case on ships in service)Product availableDroneInspection & Quality Control

Before you deploy

  • A ship has 100-plus blocks, each with different shapes and sequences. Check whether weld lines and paths come straight from 3D design data, or whether the robot finds seams on site by camera and laser (Imabari's coordination system, Kobelco SMART TEACHING, System LSI's auto-detection).
  • Confined spaces, height, and curved surfaces are the main battleground. Choose by whether the unit can be hand-carried (6–17 kg) or walk walls and ceilings on magnetic feet; the robots-per-operator ratio (Shin Kurushima 1:3, HD Hyundai 1:2 to 6) decides the labor saving.
  • Weld and coating quality fall under class rules. A guideline for verifying robot welds is still a draft under the MLIT program, while ClassNK already has drone-survey guidelines; confirm class-society (ClassNK, ABS, DNV) evaluation and approval procedures up front.
  • 85% of shipyard painting is outdoors. Check tolerance to wind, rain, temperature, dust, and paint mist, quadruped operating range (DIDEN: −10 to 60°C), and whether explosion-proofing is needed.
  • Tanks and holds are steel-enclosed, so GPS and magnetic compasses are disturbed (ClassNK). Verify indoor positioning and communication for drones and autonomous robots.
  • Loads range from sub-assemblies of a few tons to blocks of tens of tons. Standard AMRs handle outfitting parts and lugs; block-class transport belongs to autonomous transporters still at the national-project stage.

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