Robots Move Into Steel Mills’ Hottest Work Zones
Industrial robots are increasingly taking over the most dangerous tasks in Russian heavy industry. Built to operate autonomously in extreme environments, these systems combine sealed hardware, advanced safety mechanisms and high-temperature tolerance. The result is a new model of industrial automation that protects workers while boosting efficiency and data visibility inside some of the world’s harshest production environments.
Robotic Melt Measurement Systems in Extreme Conditions
A robotic complex for measuring melt parameters, known as the RTK MZPP (robotic complex of the melt parameter measurement machine), has been commissioned in the oxygen converter shop at Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK). The main purpose of the system at converter No. 1 is to automate the installation and replacement of measurement probes used to monitor the steelmaking process.
The robot performs this operation in just 2.5 minutes, maintaining high accuracy and execution speed. Using the RTK MZPP allows operators to obtain critical information about steel temperature and oxidation levels in real time. The system carries out manipulations directly next to the converter, where radiant heat exceeds 1500 degrees Celsius. By introducing robotics, MMK has fully removed personnel from the extreme-temperature zone during probe replacement procedures.
MMK’s work on industrial robots capable of operating in ultra-high-temperature environments could scale to metallurgical and heavy industries not only in Russia but also internationally.
The company has been steadily expanding industrial automation to create a modern, high-technology and safer production environment. Between 2018 and 2025, MMK automated 349 processes across 16 functional areas.
Another strategic priority is digital sovereignty. As restrictions on Western software intensified, the company transitioned to domestic technologies, including the Inpolus ESB (enterprise service bus) corporate integration platform and the Arenadata Catalog (data governance platform) system for managing corporate data.
Russia Accelerates Industrial Robotization
Manufacturing worldwide is undergoing a transformation as companies move toward Industry 4.0 and deeper production automation. Amid labor shortages and slower economic growth in many regions, robotics is becoming a central tool for sustaining industrial productivity and competitiveness.
Russia is following this global trend. Robotization and the deployment of artificial intelligence in manufacturing have become priorities in the country’s national technology strategy. The government plans to allocate roughly $1.7 billion over the next six years to support robotics development. By 2030, Russia aims to enter the world’s top 25 countries in terms of robot density. The country is already moving toward that goal. By the end of 2025, robot density reached 40 robots per 10,000 industrial workers, a 36% increase compared with the previous year. This pace significantly exceeds the average annual global growth rate for industrial robot adoption.
Safety and Efficiency in Harsh Industrial Environments
MMK’s experience is far from the only example of robotic systems working in extreme conditions. At the Cherepovets Metallurgical Plant and the Severstal-Metiz facilities operated by Severstal, 15 robotic complexes are already in operation, and another 16 systems are scheduled to be commissioned this year. The primary objective is to replace human labor in hazardous zones and reduce the risk of workplace injuries.
One example is a robot designed to remove hartzinc residue from product surfaces in galvanizing operations. Previously, technicians had to manually remove waste using a ladle that could weigh up to 15 kilograms when filled with molten zinc. Workers performed the operation about one meter from a molten bath reaching temperatures of 460 °C. The new robot now performs the task while the operator supervises the process remotely from a control station using video monitoring.
In the summer of 2025, the West Siberian Metallurgical Plant (EVRAZ ZSMK) introduced a robot for blast furnace repair work for the first time. The system mixed and applied refractory lining layers between 15 and 45 centimeters thick onto furnace walls while approximately 1,000 tons of liquid pig iron remained inside. The technology reduced repair time by a factor of four and significantly improved worker safety.
The Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant has also adopted automation in narrowly defined but critical production stages. One recent project involved launching a robotic welding system performing MIG/MAG welding. The machine operates remotely, eliminating the need for workers to remain in hazardous zones. As a result, productivity nearly doubled while weld quality became far more consistent.
These projects demonstrate that industrial robotics can save billions of rubles, improve workplace safety and product quality, and enable entirely new approaches to organizing production.
Investing in the Next Generation of Industrial Technologies
Advanced algorithms are already optimizing industrial processes across Russia, while industrial robots handle hazardous operations and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) provides real-time production monitoring. In the future, more efficient management of robotic systems will rely on artificial intelligence, swarm intelligence approaches and integration with digital twins and AR/VR technologies. Together, these technologies could strengthen Russia’s independence in high-technology industrial sectors.
