China Unicom and Huawei joint hands to aid Baoding Baoding Automation Technology Branch of Exquisite Automotive Systems Co., Ltd. (“EA”) to deploy commercial 5G-Advanced flexible production line that improves reliability with ultra-low latency.
5G-Advanced equipment is being deployed in the automobile roof production line at Great Wall Motor’s facility in Baoding, Hebei. Traditional industrial control relies on wired networks to enable serial connection and control of terminal devices. However, after a prolonged duration of operation, wire abrasion in mobile application such as robot arms, slide units, and swivelling tables frequently causes production disruptions, resulting in an average of 60 hours of downtime each year.
With the implementation of 5G-Advanced networks, providing an extremely stable and fast, making them ideal for manufacturing operations that require rapid response such as data collection (IT) and industrial control (OT) functions. In addition to that, wireless networks can eliminate the need for wires, making them easier to set up and more adaptable. 5G-Advanced networks may potentially consolidate many services into one, saving time and money.
A Little Background on EA
EA, headquartered in Baoding, Hebei, is a subsidiary of Great Wall Motor Co., Ltd. (GWM) with a yearly revenue of more than CNY2 billion. EA is in charge of developing intelligent equipment as well as designing and integrating automated manufacturing lines for GWM and other automakers.
“Digitalization is a must for the transformation and upgrade of manufacturing enterprises,” said Yuan Zhanjiang, Deputy General Manager of EA’s Industry Intelligence Department in a press conference.
“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.” he added.
Many nations are increasingly looking to industrial digital transformation to help their economies. They are investing in digitising, connecting, and intelligent manufacturing. Today, digital operations are critical for manufacturing organisations, and flexible smart manufacturing is gaining popularity.
According to Fan Ji’an, China Unicom’s chief big data scientist, the company is trying to establish a new digital infrastructure and incorporate new digital technologies. He stated that China Unicom is collaborating with other enterprises to develop a 5G-powered industrial internet that would aid businesses in their digital transformations and smart manufacturing upgrades. He also stated that 5G-Advanced is allowing industrial applications to transition from auxiliary to core production systems, and that more typical 5G-Advanced applications are surfacing in urgent circumstances, moving the manufacturing industry towards digitalisation.
China Unicom believes that 5G-Advanced applications could help companies in expanding and improving. By merging the digital and real economies, they hope to collaborate with everyone to generate new breakthroughs and encourage high-quality development. Together, we can usher in a new era in China’s transformation.
Global industry is hard at work developing 5G-Advanced networks. Last month, 13 global operators, including China Unicom, began commercial deployment of the first wave of 5G-Advanced networks. 5G-Advanced will be extensively deployed for the first time in 2024.