30.11.2023

Optimization, security, training... The many use cases of 5G in industry

5g industriel
The various qualities of industrial 5G meet many challenges, intrinsic or otherwise, in the industrial world. From maintenance and optimization to security and training, industrial 5G offers a wide range of levers, enabling the sector to continue renewing itself. Four significant families of use cases for industrial 5G have been identified. Overview.

Lower maintenance costs and optimized logistics processes

One of the first benefits of 5G in the industry is to reduce certain maintenance costs. By switching from corrective to predictive maintenance, enterprises can anticipate or even avoid potential breakdowns. In particular, 5G helps to reliably collect data from production machines (pressure, vibration, temperature...) to analyze them and predict their lifespans. Extended over large geographical areas and connecting multiple devices, this network makes it possible to integrate a substantial amount of data with a digital twin. It opens new perspectives regarding operational visualization, modeling, design, and construction assistance.

Applied to a logistics framework, industrial 5G can optimize processes like goods tracking by transferring location information to operators. It is also suitable for deploying autonomous mobile robots, which benefit from a reliable high-speed connection that can support the multiplication of connected devices.

Increased productivity for business teams

Industrial 5G improves the rapid transfer of large volumes of data. Several industrial applications benefit from it:

  • Massive uploading (the transfer of data from a terminal to servers) and data shower (the transfer of data from servers to one or more terminals) accelerate thanks to the high throughput provided by 5G. Beyond rapid data transfer, it can help to arbitrate priorities between different flows.
  • Augmented reality and virtual reality are taking root at the heart of the industry, for maintenance or remote intervention, for example. These technologies require adequate data rates to circulate large video streams between users and servers. Industrial 5G meets this demand. Moreover, its low latency makes it possible to embed contextual data on the operator's terminal, especially if it's mobile.

Securing people and facilities

Ensuring an industrial site's security requires deploying numerous surveillance devices over a wide geographical coverage. Industrial 5G facilitates the deployment of wireless HD cameras, drones, and mobile robots. It enables the implementation of AI-based solutions. 5G also ensures the continuity of critical flows according to several criteria (throughput, latency, etc.), giving them priority over more secondary flows. It promises to extend transmission capacities for large files and videos.

In addition to protecting installations, industrial 5G complements worker protection systems. Sometimes required to perform tasks alone in isolated areas, they benefit from protection systems and warning devices in the event of an accident. Industrial 5G makes these systems more reliable by ensuring that lone workers are always connected and located and by varying the flows: video, health data, remote diagnostics, and geolocation.

Developing innovative training methods

5G is a powerful lever for training in a sector where the shortage of human resources and staff turnover are real obstacles to staff qualification. Three applications are beneficial:

  • Skills upgrading via virtual learning-by-doing laboratories, where the operator trains on SaaS-mode platforms;
  • Remote assistance, where an experienced worker can guide a novice colleague through operations using connected glasses;
  • Immersive training, where operators immerse themselves in a virtual environment and practice on a digital twin reproducing their working environment.

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