South Korea Invests $8.8M in AI to Automate Forging

Imagine working in temperatures exceeding 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, relying purely on intuition and experience to shape automotive parts under crushing pressure. South Korea just launched an $8.8 million project to help AI master this extreme environment.

The Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology selected AI company MakinaRocks to lead the development of automated forging technology. Running from June 2026 through December 2029, the project targets one of manufacturing's most demanding processes: hot forging, where metal parts are shaped under extreme heat and force.

Hot forging currently depends heavily on skilled workers who manually extract design parameters from drawings to create metal dies. The process is repetitive, prone to human error, and varies significantly based on operator experience. Design delays and defects have long plagued the industry.

MakinaRocks will deploy its AI operating system Runway and drawing analysis tool DrawX to change that reality. The AI will automatically recognize forging drawings, extract design parameters, and recommend die design corrections without human intervention.

The technology goes deeper than simple automation. The system will diagnose process problems using multiple sensors tracking temperature, pressure, and visual data. It will predict product quality in real time and connect design, production, and quality information into one integrated system.

Six organizations are collaborating on the project, including Seil Forging (the lead manufacturer), ING Global, the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, Gyeongsang National University, and the University of British Columbia. The technologies will be tested on actual mass production lines at Seil Forging facilities.

The Ripple Effect

Success here could transform South Korea's automotive parts industry. Forging creates critical components like engines, transmissions, and drivetrains. Faster design cycles and fewer defects mean stronger competitiveness across the entire supply chain.

The benefits extend beyond efficiency. Reducing dependence on skilled labor in dangerous, high-temperature environments protects workers while maintaining production quality. The AI handles the repetitive precision work, freeing humans from hazardous conditions.

MakinaRocks already supplies its technology to semiconductor and battery manufacturers. Proving the system works in traditional heavy industries like forging opens doors to modernizing similar sectors throughout the manufacturing world.

CEO Yoon Sung-ho acknowledged the challenge ahead: "Forging is a field where high-strength work is performed in high-temperature environments, with many variables and heavy reliance on operator intuition, making it a challenging area for AI application." His team plans to develop autonomous production technologies applicable across broader manufacturing sectors.

The project represents South Korea's commitment to blending cutting-edge AI with foundational industries that built its economy, proving innovation doesn't mean abandoning traditional manufacturing but rather making it safer, smarter, and more sustainable.