Private wireless | Smart Factories of the future | Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

5G Networks in the Smart Factory

As every application within a smart factory will have different requirements, a private 5G network will probably be required. This type of network allows manufacturing enterprises to set up secure and dedicated networks within limited areas that can be tailored to the needs of each specific smart factory application.

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5G and the Smart Factory

There are various technologies that drive ‘smart factory’ adoption. However, technologies such as 5G connectivity, sensors, big data and artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud or edge computing are the four main influential technologies that will drive automation in factories of the future.

5G connectivity is at the heart of Industry 4.0, which focuses on creating versatile, scalable and highly efficient smart factories. The success of Industry 4.0 is highly dependent on the technical performance of 5G. The integration of 5G ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) in the manufacturing process will make smart factories more efficient and productive. The ultra-high availability and resilience of URLLC can best be leveraged using a dedicated local network deployment.

The number of connected devices within the smart factory is expected to increase over time, generating thousands of petabytes of data. The current 4G networks can support needs for now, but at some point its capabilities will no longer be sufficient to provide the speed and capacity needed to capture, analyze and transmit these enormous streams of data, especially in smart factories. When this happens, local 5G networks are deployed by enterprises to optimize or enable business processes.

Benefits of 5G in manufacturing

Network slicing: 5G network has the ability to create multiple virtual networks for specific services and traffic.
Control: Local 5G network are deployed in-house, giving the owner of the network complete control over every aspect of the network.
Bandwidth: 5G will allow large quantities of data to be transmitted over the network.
Security: Manufactures will be able to set up their own unique security policies on the network.
Wireless: Local private networks will replace the need for wired technologies like Ethernet in factories, as they are unsuitable for connecting large number of small devices.

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Key applications support in the local networks

Ultra-HD Cameras and Machine Vision

5G can support the large volume of data generated by dense ultra-HD cameras and the low cycle times needed. It will enable predicative maintenance, to recognize manufacturing faults in the production line and address the issue quickly.

Automated Guided Vehicle (AGVs)

5G will support greater numbers of AGVs per service area. In fact, 5G will enable one million connected units per square kilometers. It will enable AGVs to take up advanced applications such as video remote control for risky loads such as fuel and chemical tankers.