nexGworx: Using 5G to bring Industry 4.0 to life

Ste Ashton, general manager at Testbed as a Service nexGworx celebrates 5G trial success and guides manufacturers into the brave new world of Industry 4.0

The Opportunity

Much has been written about the potential benefits 5G brings to manufacturing: From higher bandwidth, low latency, and ultra-secure networks to the ability to process terabytes of data at lightning speeds, the technology presents an opportunity not only to make the most of new developments - such as  AI, machine learning, mixed reality and digital twins - but also to unleash the potential of existing infrastructure to maximise productivity, estimated to be worth over £6bn a year to UK manufacturing over the next few years.

All of which sounds great for the future but what is actually possible today?

The Art of the Possible

nexGworx was delighted to recently showcasing the results of a pioneering 5G trial in collaboration with West Midlands 5G (WM5G) and technology partner BT at the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry. The trial involved designing and installing a standalone private 5G network, powered by Nokia Digital Automation Cloud technology, enabling MTC to launch its first 5G-enabled demonstrator system featuring 5G-connected robotics, computer vision and edge computing.

By installing a private 5G network in a manufacturing environment the demonstrator trialled an automated, fast visual-inspection system, using high-definition cameras to check that a variety of components met their required specifications, before autonomously delivering those parts to the next stage of the production process.

The trial at MTC demonstrates the art of the possible in terms of how 5G provides the foundation for a reliable infrastructure to support smart connected manufacturing processes.  The trial has demonstrated not only that the technology itself works, but also how using mobile industrial robots to transport parts around the factory and supporting the automation of visual inspection and quality assurance processes, can increase productivity and equipment utilisation, seamlessly generating records of part quality.

So how do you start out on your own 5G journey in your business?

Getting on the journey

First, be clear about what you want to achieve with 5G as part of your wider digital journey. With so many potential use cases, it’s crucial to accept that it is a journey and that most 5G-enabled programmes will expand once you get started.

Second, get the right team in place. In our experience, setting out on a 5G journey requires a multi-disciplinary team of internal and external expertise, with an emphasis on multi-disciplinary. Depending on the nature of your project, this may or may not include telecoms providers and mobile operators; those with experience of building 5G networks; hyper scalers; and systems integrators.  Professional services providers, such as nexGworx SME delivery partner Advalus, may be needed to help build your strategy and business case, facilitate and organise network build, and support use case integration.

Thirdly, identify and prioritise multiple use cases and understand how they impact each other, ensuring systems and programmes are optimised from the start, identifying potential issues before implementation begins.

The 5G ecosystem continues to develop with more entry points than ever before, changes in spectrum licencing mean businesses can secure their own dedicated slice without the need for a traditional mobile network operator to provide it for them. As supply chain diversification gathers momentum new vendors are emerging with exciting new products and solutions that can be mixed and matched. With a shift towards virtualised services solutions are increasingly able to scale with a user’s need and be upgraded with less need for disruptive hardware upgrades. In conclusion, then there is no better time to start, are you ready for the journey?