Articles
While Europe and North America lag behind China in terms of 5G subscriptions, telecoms professionals believe the technology will be widely available worldwide by 2025. This means that some of the technologies associated with the fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) may suddenly seem more practical.
According to a survey of 100 US-based manufacturers by PwC and the Manufacturing Institute, nearly half of respondents were in the early stages of a smart factory transition as of 2019. They also expected the pace of change to accelerate rapidly – with 73% reporting that they would increase their investment in smart factory technology in 2020. Given the impacts of Covid-19, it’s unlikely that these decisions were taken in line with expectations. However, the onward march of 5G means the case for investing in 4IR solutions is growing more persuasive.
Market research by Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson, which is deploying 5G networks across the world, says there are three use-case categories that the technology will help operators to address. These are industrial control and automation systems, planning and design systems, and field devices. In practice, superfast data connectivity could allow for the realtime capture of data on machines, while equipping staff with sophisticated visualisation and training tools.
Greater numbers of sensors, combined with heightened connectivity on factory floors, would also enable operators to keep a closer eye on the status of their equipment. Maintenance could then be scheduled and problems predicted before a breakdown results in a loss of functionality. There are also health and safety benefits to 5G’s near-instantaneous response time. Emergency shut-off signals will be more effective than ever before, and enhanced automation means there will be fewer people interacting with heavy machinery.
Better process control
To demonstrate how 5G can improve process control, Ericsson partnered with Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology, which makes bladed disks, or blisks, for jet engines. The blisks are among the most demanding metal processing applications, and the process itself is very difficult to monitor. Milling can last an entire day – although it’s equally capable of extending beyond 100 hours – and the end result is not known until the process is finished. Rework rates are as high as 25%. However, by installing sensors capable of detecting milling issues in real time, and connecting them via a 5G network, Fraunhofer operators were able to stop machinery before a fault occurred.
If 5G and automation cut the rework rate from 25% to 15%, the machine time would be reduced, leading to a cost reduction of €3,600 per disk. Ericsson said the 5G-enabled blisk case alone can save €27m for one factory, and up to €360m globally. There are also sustainability gains to be made through more efficient and effective manufacturing processes.
Currently, connectivity in manufacturing is primarily delivered through fixed cabling, which can be costly and difficult to scale due to being constrained to stationary assets. But as use-cases mature, the GSM Association, the trade body representing mobile network operators, predicts that demand for 5G retrofitting will rise.
“5G is at the heart of our digital future – and digital will empower energy transition, innovation and a whole new world of employment opportunities,” said Martin Lundstedt, CEO of Volvo. “It is vital to the success of the EU green deal. Everything is connected – that’s why this is such a fundamental part of the equation.”
It’s clear that greater and faster connectivity could help manufacturers out of their Covid slump, too.
Want the best engineering stories delivered straight to your inbox? The Professional Engineering newsletter gives you vital updates on the most cutting-edge engineering and exciting new job opportunities. To sign up, click here.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.