For high-tech industries, the digitalization and reinvention of manufacturing processes is one of the key drivers for Industry 4.0 success. By implementing 5G networks in industrial environments, new cordless product solutions can be integrated to achieve greater production flexibility and efficiency. With consistently high product quality.
5G mobile networks will revolutionize industrial production. With data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s, 5G will enable high-speed manufacturing environments by eliminating the need for wired connectivity and enabling real-time process control. With the potential to connect just about anything, 5G-enabled factories offer businesses the opportunity to further automate production, enhance productivity whilst being more agile. The latter improving the ability of the manufacturing process to faster and better adapt to internal or external induced changes and requirements.
Since 2018, Daimler AG in Germany has set the course to make their final assembly stations fit for Industry 4.0. Driving forward the digitalization and networking of its global automotive production environment, the ambition is to bring the tightening process and product quality to a new level, irrespective of the controller location safeguarding the process.
"With the SoftTorque project we are making a huge contribution towards increasing the flexibility of assembly processes"
Wolfgang Kochs , Team leader in the Mercedes-Benz Cars TecFactory in Sindelfingen and the driving force behind the project
An official partnership agreement was signed with Atlas Copco. As part of the cooperation, Atlas Copco is developing a new generation intelligent EC screw-fastening system. A system that is lighter, more flexible and ergonomic thereby enabling the tightening process time to be reduced without the need of a physical connection to an assembly controller or station. As a logical step forward, Atlas Copco has installed a 5G network in one of the factories in Antwerp in Belgium, as well as the integration lab in Stockholm Sweden. All done in close cooperation with Ericsson, Telenor and Orange. These installations are one of the first implementations of 5G infrastructure in an industrial setting allowing the development, testing and connection of new generations of products. Efforts that are providing new insights and establishing new best practices.
Industry Connect: 5G-ready production at Atlas Copco Airpower
Industry Connect: 5G-ready production at Atlas Copco Airpower
So, what is so special about 5G?
5G is the 5th generation mobile network. It is designed to increase speed, reduce latency, and improve the flexibility of wireless services with the ambition to connect virtually everyone and everything together.
Like in previous mobile networks, 5G devices will communicate with base stations by transmitting and receiving radio waves. Since 5G, in comparison with 4G, uses higher radio frequencies that are less cluttered, information can be carried at a much faster rate. 5G technology has a theoretical peak speed of 20 Gbps whereas the peak speed of 4G is only 1 Gbps.
Aside from speed, advantages of 5G networks over 4G relating to reduced latency means faster response times as well as download speeds. In a manufacturing environment 5G opens up new potential industrial applications that enable real Smart Factories. Factories where just about everything is connected.