5G+Industrial Internet, making manufacturing "smart" is no longer a dream

Exploring new paths for industrial development

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As the representative of the new generation of mobile communication technology, 5G technology can be competent for industrial scenarios with high reliability, low latency, anti-interference and security. It can promote the upgrading of industrial structure through networking and intelligence, empower the industrial Internet, and promote the transformation of industrial manufacturing to industrial "smart" manufacturing.

In order to better promote the development of "5G+Industrial Internet", the Industrial Internet Industry Alliance recently held the 16th Working Group Plenary Meeting in Wuhan, Hubei Province, during which it reviewed and approved the reorganization of the Industrial Wireless Special Group into the 5G+Industrial Internet Special Group. This special group will bring together experts from various fields to explore 5G technology and network solutions that meet industrial deployment and usage needs.

It is not difficult to foresee that the industrial Internet will be the main battlefield of 5G in the future. The industrial Internet empowered by 5G can not only meet the needs of industrial intelligent development, but also help manufacturing companies to upgrade to digitalization, networking and intelligence.

How can manufacturing become “smart” manufacturing?

Miao Wei, former Minister of Industry and Information Technology, once emphasized when talking about 5G application scenarios at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office: "80% of future 5G application scenarios will be in the industrial Internet." There is no doubt that 5G is the key support for my country's industrial digital transformation. my country should accelerate the deep integration of emerging technologies and manufacturing.

In July 2019, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other departments jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on Strengthening Industrial Internet Security Work", and in November issued the "5G+Industrial Internet 512 Project Promotion Plan". These policy documents show that my country's "5G+Industrial Internet" exploration pace is accelerating, which is of great significance to laying a solid foundation for the development of the real economy and the digital economy.

In addition, "5G+Industrial Internet" facilities and solutions are also being deployed in an orderly and synchronous manner to upgrade manufacturing to "smart" manufacturing. For example, the Red Lion Group in Tonglu, Zhejiang, has joined hands with China Telecom to use China Telecom's 5G and Tianyi Cloud Industrial Internet platform to achieve speed and efficiency improvements, realize visual analysis of the production process, equipment parameter collection, personnel safety management, AR remote maintenance, etc., effectively reduce labor costs, reduce man-made safety hazards, and create an ecologically intelligent cement manufacturing enterprise.

The road to 5G+Industrial Internet integration is long and arduous

Although the integrated application of 5G and the Industrial Internet plays an important role in the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, and my country's "5G+Industrial Internet" has also achieved initial results, its development also faces some challenges as it stands at the forefront of the new trend, and it will still take some time to achieve large-scale implementation and promotion.

• On the one hand, in the process of "5G+Internet" integration, the application scenarios and profit models of 5G in the industrial field need to be further explored. Moreover, 5G has just entered the commercial stage, and the technology industry ecosystem has not yet been fully formed. There is a lack of standardization and operation and maintenance experience for the industrial field, which makes the research and development of 5G industrial products or facilities challenging.
• On the other hand, many companies in my country are still in the transition stage from Industry 2.0 to Industry 3.0, and digital transformation has not yet been completed on production equipment and production lines. This not only limits the demand for 5G applications by industrial companies, but also slows down the deployment of integrated applications of 5G and the Industrial Internet.
• In general, although my country's "5G + Industrial Internet" is just getting started, many scenarios need to be explored, bottlenecks need to be broken, and challenges need to be addressed. However, as information technology and operation and maintenance experience continue to mature, the 5G-enabled Industrial Internet will surely subvert the existing physical limits of traditional industrial production. The integration and innovation of "5G + Industrial Internet" will surely burst out with unimaginable energy, ride the wind and waves, and reach the sea.