Technology giant Huawei, alongside Chinese electrical appliance manufacturer, Midea, Thai operator AIS, and Chinese operator China Unicom say they have jointly implemented the first 5G fully connected factory in Southeast Asia, setting what they describe as a new standard for smart manufacturing in the region.
Harnessing the comprehensive 5G network coverage of the Midea Industrial Park in Chonburi, a province in eastern Thailand, and a 5G+ industrial internet platform, each production phase is seamlessly connected through 5G terminals to enable faster machine operation.
A dedicated 5G private network has been deployed to support factory operation requirements and leverage intelligent industry applications. This facilitates manufacturing scenarios and interconnects each production line.
This collaboration is said to mark a new milestone in the 5G era, enhancing efficiency, safety and automation in complex production processes.
Among the key solutions that make the factory ‘5G fully connected’ are 5G data collection and analysis to optimise equipment utilization, mitigate downtime and enhance overall equipment capacity, and 5G automated guided vehicles (AGV), while 5G AI inspection helps to reduce the number of reworked devices and rework rates and minimise operational errors.
Other important solutions include 5G robotic arms controlled by workers via 5G smartphones (eliminating the need for hazardous manual intervention in the production process), and a 5G operating room simulating and testing the status of outdoor compressors, ensuring efficient and reliable operations.
In addition, with zero data loss and low-latency capabilities, 5G backhaul guarantees seamless data transmission for critical applications.
Throughout this project, say the partners, operators have been pivotal in driving digital transformation, leveraging their expertise and local ecosystem to deploy 5G.
