Recently, China Unicom and Huawei began to help the Baoding Automation Technology Branch of Exquisite Automotive Systems Co., Ltd. (“EA”) deploy a commercial 5G-Advanced flexible production line that features ultra-high reliability and ultra-low latency.
At Great Wall Motor’s factory in Baoding, Hebei, 5G-Advanced equipment is being used in the car roof production line. Traditional industrial control relies on wired networks to realize the serial connection and control of terminal equipment. However, after a certain period of operations, wire abrasion in mobile application scenarios, such as robot arms, slide units, and swiveling tables, often results in production interruptions, causing an average of about 60 hours of downtime a year.
5G-Advanced networks provide ultra-high reliability and ultra-low latency, making them the perfect choice for high-end core manufacturing processes that require high response speeds. Wireless industrial networks can completely eliminate the constraints of wires. Compared to wired networks, the 5G-Advanced solution facilitates easier network deployment and can better support flexible manufacturing. 5G-Advanced networks also boost efficiency by integrating multiple functions, such as data collection (IT) and industrial control (OT) functions that are provided by two separate private lines in wired networks.
Located in Baoding, Hebei, EA is a subsidiary of Great Wall Motor Co., Ltd. (GWM), and has an annual turnover of more than CNY2 billion. EA is responsible for the development of intelligent equipment and the design and integration of automated production lines for GWM and other auto companies.
At the press conference, Yuan Zhanjiang, Deputy General Manager of EA’s Industry Intelligence Department, stated, “Digitalization is a must for the transformation and upgrade of manufacturing enterprises. 5G-Advanced features ultra-high reliability, low latency, and easy deployment. These features have been verified in EA’s 5G-Advanced industrial Internet lab, and will soon start supporting our commercial production lines. We will seize the opportunity presented by enterprise transformation and upgrade, and leverage digital technologies to continually improve our smart manufacturing capabilities, and contribute to the transformation and upgrade of GWM and the wider manufacturing industry.”
Today, many countries view industrial digital transformation as a new driver of economic growth. Therefore, they are striving to make manufacturing increasingly digital, connected, and intelligent. Digital operation capabilities are now a must for manufacturing enterprises, and flexible smart manufacturing is continuously gaining traction.
