LG CNS is venturing into the development of smart factory farms for insects, leveraging its manufacturing AX technologies. This initiative aims to digitalize and automate production processes within the insect industry, which is gaining recognition as a key player in the future climate tech sector.
On July 16, LG CNS attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the ‘Insect Industry Hub Complex,’ hosted by Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, marking the official launch of the project. The ceremony was attended by Kim Jin-tae, Governor of Gangwon Province, Yuk Dong-han, Mayor of Chuncheon, and Kim Hong-geun, Vice President of LG CNS, among other dignitaries.
The hub complex, located in Chuncheon, Gangwon, will serve as an advanced smart factory farm capable of mass breeding insects like mealworms. LG CNS will manage several key aspects including the AX-based production management and integrated control system, AI growth management system, and the automation of insect breeding, feed production, and environmental control equipment.
Building on its extensive expertise in smart factory development across industries such as electronics, batteries, and pharmaceuticals, LG CNS plans to integrate manufacturing AX technologies like quality selection and precise control into the insect industry. By the end of the year, LG CNS aims to establish an automated system with an annual mealworm production capacity of 700 tons.
The AX-based operating system will unify the entire process, from breeding to inspection, transport, and environmental controls, using real-time data analysis to determine optimal growth conditions. This will enable the creation of a smart factory farm with uninterrupted automated operations.
The AI growth management system is a crucial technology to dramatically enhance insect quality and productivity. By replacing traditional manual quality management with vision AI analysis of growth stages, color, and movement, the system will automatically identify defective insects and calculate the optimal time for release.
LG CNS aims to set a standard model for the ‘K-Insect Industry’ through this project. It plans to fully domesticate the insect breeding platform and standardize manufacturing reference information such as codes, terminology, and indicators, facilitating flexible expansion and relocation of factories.
Previously, LG CNS established an intelligent agricultural platform in a 160,000-pyeong ‘Advanced Unmanned Automation Agriculture Production Demonstration Complex’ in Naju, Jeollanam-do, securing comprehensive smart farm technology that spans from plants to insects.
Kim Hong-geun, Vice President of LG CNS, stated, “By integrating manufacturing AX capabilities into the insect industry, we aim to deliver differentiated value in terms of productivity and quality. We will contribute to making this smart factory farm a ‘lighthouse factory’ leading the future K-Insect industry.”
