Humanoid welding robot for shipyards to be developed

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri said on Wednesday it had entered into a partnership with Generative Bionics, an Italian company focused on the development of autonomous humanoid robots, to develop a humanoid welding robot designed to operate alongside humans in the Group’s shipyards.

The collaboration integrates Fincantieri’s industrial expertise with the robotic platform developed by Generative Bionics, with the goal of increasing safety and operational efficiency, improving production quality and enhancing the sustainability of work in shipyards, according to Fincantieri’s announcement.

The humanoid robot will support specific welding activities in naval manufacturing.

It will be equipped with artificial intelligence, advanced manipulation, perception and vision capabilities for monitoring the welding seam, and optimized locomotion to operate in complex environments.

The collaboration program is expected to span a total of four years.

Initial on-site tests are scheduled by the end of 2026, with the objective of making operational functionalities available within the first two years, followed by further refinement, expansion, and industrial certification activities thereafter.

Development and testing activities will take place at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard, which will serve as the reference