SK Innovation earns first government certification for AI inspection solution
South Korea's leading energy company SK Innovation said Sunday it has received official recognition for an artificial intelligence-based solution that automates flaw detection in heat exchangers, marking the first government certification in the field of AI-driven diagnostics for industrial systems.
The certification was awarded under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s New Excellent Technology initiative, designed to acknowledge emerging or enhanced technologies with significant market potential in Korea.
The solution, co-developed with Ulsan-based AI startup Deep AI, leverages ultrasound to detect defects in heat exchangers with over 95 percent accuracy. It also reduces inspection time by more than 90 percent compared to manual analysis.
Heat exchangers are critical to refining and petrochemical processes, as they regulate temperature during production. Over 80 percent of equipment failures stem from tube-related issues, making regular non-destructive testing a key element of industrial safety management.
SK Innovation’s Ulsan Complex contributed field data, testing infrastructure and operational expertise to the project, while Deep AI provided its proprietary data analysis technology.
Supported by Ulsan Metropolitan City and the Ulsan Information Industry, the partnership laid out the foundation for industrial AI applications in manufacturing across Ulsan.
SK Innovation and Deep AI aim to expand the solution's application to other industries such as power generation, batteries and steel, and to tap into the global equipment diagnostics market.
Deep AI, backed by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, is considering entry into the next generation of nuclear technologies, including small modular reactors.
"We will continue to collaborate with Deep AI to enhance industrial safety and competitiveness through AI and data-driven innovation," said an SK Innovation official.
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