Smart manufacturing using 5G technology? Here's how it can be used
Even without the 5th generation technology, Automated Guided Vehicles are long used as load carriers that move around without an operator on board. However, with 5G, experts see the enhancement in AGVs functionality.
India’s 5G service was publicly launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last Saturday at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2022. This cutting-edge technology is expected to support India’s digital revolution since it promises to transmit high-speed internet, with reduced latency and more stability like never before.
One such application of 5G is the smart manufacturing solution that is on exhibition at the ongoing IMC 2022.
An application developed by telecom major Ericsson and implemented on the manufacturing equipment of a leading manufacturing firm – ABB India limited is working to interconnect the machineries to reduce the requirement of manual input, in result increasing the productivity and safety of the manufacturing process.
What is the use case?
Ashwin Rastogi of ABB India Limited tells Hindustan Times how 5G can bolster the manufacturing process. He illustrates, “The Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) is being used to bring the component from the warehouse to the loading area. There is a robot which picks and loads the component on the internal circuit testing machine, followed by loading on the final circuit testing. Once both the processes are carried out, the robot will again load the component on the AGV. The AGV will then move to the next station.”
Here, robot, AGV and other machines are communicating over a 5G network to seamlessly coordinate their actions.
What is the need for a robust 5G infrastructure?
Even without the 5th generation technology, Automated Guided Vehicles are long used in a warehouse, distribution centre, or manufacturing plant, as load carriers or material handling devices that move around without an operator on board. However, with 5G, experts see the enhancement in AGVs functionality.
“This is already a proven solution that we are running over here. The purpose of 5G over here is to improve the latency of the entire system,” Rastogi explains. Besides this, he affirms that using 5G, the number of devices on a single network can be increased manifold.
