How 5G is revolutionizing the industry of the future?

5G is the hot topic of conversation right now, and it has been rolled out across France for over two years now, but what actually sets it apart from previous communication standards?

Firstly, it’s all about speed. 5G networks promise speeds 20 times faster than 4G networks with peak performance reaching 20 Gbps. It’s the combination of this increased speed – enabling virtually latency-free data transmission, in the order of milliseconds – and reliability almost equivalent to that of wired networks (99.9999%) that make 5G a disruptive technology for manufacturers and local and regional authorities.

This is the first time since the advent of new forms of communication that wireless communications have become as robust and fast as very-high-speed cable. 5G networks enable real-time communications between different human–machine and machine–machine interfaces. The 5G communication standard is helping revolutionize the range of applications of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), from delivery robots on production lines to connected sensors on electricity and water networks.

5G is disruptive in its deployment. It simplifies wireless networks. Instead of creating meshes of on-site Wi-Fi hotspots, installing a simple 5G antenna can provide the same coverage while reducing the number of source connections, even across several floors. It is also the first cellular technology that approximates IT, so there is no longer a need to be a telecommunications engineer to install a 5G network. Finally, from a security standpoint, it offers the opportunity to work on closed and private networks.

However, the development of the French 5G industrial network is being slowed down by the prohibitive costs of allocating private bands and higher frequencies.

The factory of the future won’t just look different; the whole way it is organized will be turned upside down by the arrival of new technologies such as robots, smart production lines, and augmented reality. 5G will underpin this development as it enables it to be deployed securely thanks to its reliability and speed.

A transformation of production lines?

When we talk about production lines, the first image that comes to mind is Charlie Chaplin’s ‘Modern Times’ from almost 100 years ago. Fortunately, industry has come a long way since then. Until very recent times, the be-all and end-all the factories were long semi-automated production lines as seen in the automotive, Agri-food and assembly sectors. Now, factories can be equipped with more-flexible production lines that allow them to adapt more quickly to market conditions.

The emergence of 5G and the increased number of robots in factories, additive manufacturing, and the creation of smart and adaptive production lines offer manufacturers and their customers the possibility for the mass customization of their products. This simple reconfiguration of production lines is possible thanks to wireless connected devices that can be quickly redeployed throughout the factory.

But the most powerful impact of these new practices is to be felt in reduced costs and increased competitiveness by enabling limited production runs for their customers. The increased adaptability and flexibility of production lines enable manufacturers to reduce their production costs and, by extension, offer the products’ users higher quality at a lower cost.