Russian Steelmakers Use Robot to Repair Blast Furnace for the First Time

A steel plant in Novokuznetsk deployed a robotic system to repair a blast furnace still containing molten iron—cutting repair time from two months to just over two weeks.

For the first time in Russia, a robot has been used to perform high-temperature blast furnace repairs at the United West Siberian Metallurgical Plant in Novokuznetsk. The autonomous system operated under extreme conditions, applying layers of refractory material ranging from 150 to 450 millimeters thick directly onto the furnace walls. At the time of repair, the furnace still held roughly 1,000 tons of molten iron.

This approach reduced repair time by a factor of four and drastically improved safety conditions. A human team would have required at least two months to complete the same task. The robot finished the job independently in just 16 days.

The plant, which executed this complex operation, produces rolled steel products for the industrial, construction, and transportation sectors. It is one of Russia’s top manufacturers of railway rails for metro systems and tram networks, and also produces rebar and various steel billets. The facility is part of a larger mining and beneficiation division that unites all related enterprises in the Kuzbass region.