We were the first in Japan to successfully develop a high-performance, high-precision automatic balancing machine that can automatically and accurately measure and correct minute mass imbalances in rotating parts. This is a particularly significant achievement in that the equipment, which Japan has positioned as a strategic material essential to the nation’s core manufacturing industry, was developed using domestic technology and successfully commercialized through introduction into an actual industrial production environment.
Dr. Kim Byung-nok, chief researcher at the AX Convergence Research Center (Kim Byung-nok Research Center, Chairman Kim Yong-sik), Virtual Engineering Platform Research Division, Korea Institute of Mechanical Materials, under the National Science and Technology Research Council (NST, Chairman Kim Yong-sik), developed the core technology of a high-precision automatic balance machine in cooperation with P&S Corporation (CEO Park Bong-soo). The technology is the result of two projects supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) since 2020.
The research team implemented an intelligent architecture that allows equipment to autonomously diagnose its condition and manage measurement accuracy, with a focus on achieving the reproducibility and durability required in real-world industrial environments. As a result, we were able to comprehensively improve the reliability and repeatability of equipment performance, and succeeded in developing automatic balancing machine technology that can be applied directly to production lines.
Balancing machines measure the mass imbalance of rotating parts and correct it within the tolerances specified by the international standard ISO 21940-11. Traditional foreign systems mainly rely on manual or semi-automatic operations and mainly focus on measurement and correction functions, which limits the ability to maintain overall system reliability and repeatability.
The automatic balance machine developed by KIMM applies high-sensitivity imbalance measurement technology using a vibration sensor and high-speed signal processing technology, making it possible to detect minute imbalances in milligrams with high precision. Additionally, AI-based data processing algorithms automatically remove anomalous signals and noise occurring during measurements, ensuring both measurement reliability and repeatability.
In addition, a closed-loop compensation algorithm that integrates cutting speed, depth, and position automatically determines optimal compensation conditions based on changes in rotating component geometry, material properties, and rotational speed. This enables highly accurate correction performance and is equipped with a self-calibration function that allows the system to autonomously maintain accuracy.
The developed balancing machine is equipped with intelligent diagnostic logic that monitors sensor abnormalities, measurement errors, and unstable working conditions in real time, improving system reliability and operational stability. In addition, the main components are modular, so they can be quickly adapted to user requirements and can be used immediately as a standard quality control system in your production line.
This technology was successfully put into practical use in July 2025, when the company signed its first supply contract with an environmentally friendly auto parts manufacturer. By replacing fully imported automatic balancing machines with domestically developed equipment, the technology is expected to reduce supply chain uncertainty and enhance quality competitiveness across national strategic industries, including automotive, energy, aerospace and defense.
Principal researcher Byung-nok Kim emphasized, “This development is important in that it establishes domestic technological independence for an automatic balancing machine, which is classified as a strategic material, and demonstrates its successful application in an actual industrial environment.” Furthermore, he stated, “We will continue to evolve the technology and expand its scope of application so that it can function as a core device that improves quality and reliability in precision manufacturing processes.”
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Reference material: Photo (Chief Researcher Kim Byung-kok, KIMM high-precision automatic balancing machine technology)
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The Korea Institute of Mechanical Materials (KIMM) is a government-funded, non-profit research institute under the Ministry of Science, Information and Communications. Since its establishment in 1976, KIMM has been contributing to the country’s economic development by conducting research and development of core technologies for machinery and materials, testing and evaluating reliability, and commercializing developed products and technologies.
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