Chong Kun Dang Accelerates Production Innovation with Smart Factory Initiative

Chong Kun Dang is accelerating the establishment of a 'smart value chain' by integrating AI and digital twin technology into its Cheonan plant. This project, part of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' 'Autonomous Factory Construction Project,' involves activating an AI control system and a virtual factory, the digital twin platform, at the Cheonan facility. Moving beyond traditional methods reliant on worker experience or post-production inspection, the company is now implementing a proactive risk control system that learns from data and performs simulations, marking a significant shift towards an autonomously operating factory.

The core of this smart value chain lies in real-time quality prediction based on process data and AI-driven automation of report generation. By analyzing data such as tablet compression pressure and compaction speed from the manufacturing line in real-time, the company can precisely predict product ingredient content without the need for separate quality control (QC) tests. Furthermore, a multimodal language model (MLLM)-based system, which combines and infers image and sensor data, preemptively blocks signs of equipment failure or worker errors.

For quality management administration, Chong Kun Dang has implemented the 'Agentic Works' platform, where approximately 30 AI agents analyze data. This has resulted in over a 90% reduction in the time required to generate Annual Product Quality Review (APQR) reports. The reallocated personnel are now focused on data validation, significantly improving administrative efficiency and report accuracy.

With the adoption of this technology, Chong Kun Dang aims to secure process stability and build data reliability for compliance with global regulations, including those from the U.S. (FDA) and Europe (EMA). The company plans to further enhance its smart factory competitiveness by expanding AI and digital twin infrastructure to its Siheung Baegot R&D complex.