TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China Steel Corp. Chair Huang Chien‑chih (黃建智) said the company has expanded into the drone and robotics supply chains, producing motors for UAVs and electromagnetic steel for drone and robot motors, CNA reported.
The company has developed five electromagnetic steel products that are being advanced toward the industry’s thinnest standard of 0.1 mm and can also be used in EV motors. Production of these products will be expanded starting in 2027. Additionally, the company has collaborated with the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre to investigate demand in the drone and robotics sectors.
The company said that producing ultra-thin electromagnetic steel sheets for drone motors is more challenging than manufacturing those for EVs. To reduce magnetic loss caused by riveting thin sheets together, new coating and bonding technologies have been developed that fuse the sheets into a single motor core. The improvements enable drone motors to use battery power more efficiently, boosting payload capacity and flight endurance.
China Steel has also developed eight types of drone motors that can support most Taiwan-made unmanned aircraft. The company said that it will use its metal and electromagnetic materials to expand further into the robotics sector.
Huang noted the steel market this year was affected by geopolitical tensions and energy costs, resulting in flat orders and an NT$4.14 billion (US$132 million) loss in the first three quarters. The company expects orders to rebound next year, driven by infrastructure, data center, and manufacturing equipment demand, while the US Federal Reserve rate cuts may further boost investment in construction, automotive, and machinery.
Company General Manager Chen Shou‑tao (陳守道) said the company will continue expanding specialty steel products. In the first nine months, sales of these products reached 607,000 tonnes, making up 17.8% of revenue and 93.6% of gross profit, supported by strong demand from public infrastructure, construction, automotive, and precision machinery sectors.
Since 2023, the company has collaborated with National Cheng Kung University and GEOSAT Aerospace & Technology to develop drone motors. These motors incorporate China Steel’s 0.2 mm electromagnetic steel sheets, copper wire from Ta Ya Electric Wire & Cable, and magnets from Spin Sustainable Energy.
