The importance of building facilities based on artificial intelligence technology has recently been emphasized throughout the manufacturing sector. LG Energy Solution, a leading battery manufacturer, also responds to this trend.
Then, how does LG Energy Solution employ AI in its battery manufacturing process? To find out, we spoke with the company’s AI experts.
Q. Could you briefly introduce yourself?
(Intelligent algorithm managing director Jeong-seok Yoon, Manufacturing Intelligence Center)
My name is Jungseok Yoon, and I recently joined LG Energy Solution from LG Electronics. It’s a pleasure to meet you!
(Team leader Jun-ho Lim, AI Technology Team, a direct report to the CDO)
My name is Jun-ho Lim, and I am in charge of resolving various challenges in the field using artificial intelligence and deep learning.
Q. What are you concentrating on these days?
(Intelligent algorithm managing director Jeong-seok Yoon, Manufacturing Intelligence Center)
Smart factories are a hot topic in the manufacturing industry right now. The smart factory collects various data on the process and automatically sets the equipment to produce the same products without humans based on that data, based on deep domain knowledge of the products made. It also detects and prevents defective products from being delivered to end users via monitoring. It also includes predictions to reduce the time required for equipment maintenance based on the data accumulated during this process. The AI technology team is a supporting unit that prioritizes solving various challenges required to build such a smart factory.
Q. When did you feel the most satisfied with your research?
(Team leader Jun-ho Lim, AI Technology Team, a direct report to the CDO)
It was when I was conducting research on knowledge distillation, which is related to a technology that can achieve high performance in small networks. I was doing educational volunteer work while conducting this research. The students at the educational volunteer site assisted me with my research. The students’ suggestions helped the research proceed successfully. It felt great to incorporate aspects of everyday life into research and develop new technologies.
Q. What is the most crucial aspect of communication and coaching?
(Intelligent algorithm managing director Jeong-seok Yoon, Manufacturing Intelligence Center)
To be successful in the field of AI technology, you must quickly gather the most recent trends and discuss them in order to make the best decision. The most important thing for us is a horizontal organizational culture in which we can share and discuss knowledge with one another rather than being overly reliant on one person’s knowledge.
Furthermore, LG Energy Solution is a manufacturing company, so field-oriented work is essential. However, the situation communicated by a third party is frequently different from the situation felt on the ground. We need field-oriented employees who are in tune with the issues happening in the field and are willing to take responsibility for resolving fundamental issues while addressing the issues at hand.
(Team leader Jun-ho Lim, AI Technology Team, a direct report to the CDO)
As he mentioned, many cases appeared difficult initially, but when we arrived at the site, they were much easier than anticipated. On the other hand, there were times when we discovered that the issue was much larger than the initial request. So we provided a solution to the actual problem. It was critical to approach the project with the field in mind. A horizontal culture in which we can freely exchange ideas is equally important.
(Intelligent algorithm managing director Jeong-seok Yoon, Manufacturing Intelligence Center)
It is critical for leaders to communicate horizontally rather than exert authority. Listening to team members’ opinions helps solve problems and provides a fresh perspective. I hope to develop an organizational culture that values the opinions of its employees.
Q. From the perspective of an AI expert, what kind of company is LG Energy Solution?
(Team leader Jun-ho Lim, AI Technology Team, a direct report to the CDO)
I believe it is a unique firm that combines the benefits of a large corporation with stability and welfare benefits with the virtues of a startup where all employees work together toward a common objective. As a fast-growing company, the fact that all employees are working toward a smart factory is very appealing and makes a lasting impression.
Q. Tell me about your team and your role.
(Team leader Jun-ho Lim, AI Technology Team, a direct report to the CDO)
Our team is an organization that uses AI and deep learning to solve various challenges for quality and production efficiency improvement. When new technologies emerge in the process, we investigate them and solve various challenges by properly identifying field problems and field knowledge.
(Intelligent algorithm managing director Jeong-seok Yoon, Manufacturing Intelligence Center)
That’s right. The AI technology unit is a supporting organization in developing a smart factory. We want to focus on our role as a support department in resolving various problems with AI technology that other departments are experiencing. Aside from building smart factories, one of our missions is to analyze various field data to discover new quality issues or insights that we were previously unaware of.
What do you hope to accomplish as an AI expert?
(Intelligent algorithm managing director Jeong-seok Yoon, Manufacturing Intelligence Center)
I am currently researching how to make AI-enabled products better. Furthermore, it is an excellent opportunity for me to investigate various issues that I can address as an AI expert at LG Energy Solution. One of my dreams is to contribute to developing a well-established smart factory that becomes a lighthouse factory worldwide.
(Team leader Jun-ho Lim, AI Technology Team, a direct report to the CDO)
The final goal is to have people say that “LG Energy Solution is synonymous with smart factories.” So, when businesses are looking to build a smart factory, I hope they will say, “Let’s go to LG Energy Solution and benchmark it.” That is my dream.