nepes Yahad announced that it has successfully completed the automation of lead tab processes within secondary battery manufacturing after being selected as a participating company for the Korean government’s “Robot-Based Manufacturing Innovation Support Program” on March 7, 2025. The project ran from April 1 to November 30, 2025, during which the company achieved significant improvements in productivity, safety, and quality.
The “Robot-Based Manufacturing Innovation Support Program” is designed to help small and mid-sized manufacturers in Korea adopt robotic automation systems on their production floors, thereby strengthening both manufacturing competitiveness and the competitiveness of domestic robotics companies. The initiative is overseen by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement.
Under this project, nepes Yahad deployed a robot-driven logistics system for the welding and final inspection stages of its secondary battery lead tab production. Previously, frequent logistics transfers between processes and a heavy reliance on manual tasks had resulted in increased waiting times, extended operator movement, and quality issues such as contamination and input errors.
To address these challenges, the company completely redesigned inter-process logistics based on robotic automation. By creating a seamlessly connected robotic workflow between the welding and inspection processes, nepes Yahad established a system capable of maintaining a stable production flow without operator intervention.
As a result, the company saw meaningful improvements across all key areas, including productivity, safety, and product quality. Automation enabled a stable cycle time between processes, sharply increasing the accuracy of productivity forecasting. In addition, by eliminating variables common in manual handling, the reliability of inspection data improved and overall quality consistency strengthened. The removal of repetitive handling tasks also reduced physical strain on workers and contributed to a better working environment.
A nepes Yahad representative stated, “These achievements reflect the practical execution of nepes Group’s 3A management principles—AI, Accountability, and Agility,” adding, “By eliminating unnecessary work, managing processes transparently, and responding to changes quickly, we’ve built the foundation for transitioning to an AI‑driven smart factory.”
The company also plans to continue advancing its smart factory capabilities. Using the data secured through this project, nepes Yahad aims to integrate real-time process monitoring and AI‑based predictive management by linking the information to its Manufacturing Execution System (MES).