A smoother ride and streamlined municipal processes are a few aspects that characterize smart cities transformed by a 5G network. Productivity and connection, meanwhile, will be the signs that manufacturing methods have been swept up by the digital tide. Production downtime has always been a profit drain for manufacturers, and nearly any solution that can keep assembly lines up and running will boost the bottom line.
Smart Machines
One of the best ways to combat machine downtime is to ensure your components don't break in the first place. By designing machines with built-in alert capabilities that notify technicians when their time for maintenance has come, engineers have reduced component breakdown — and they've plugged in the IoT to do it. Where legacy systems once required periodic checkups to make sure they were running well, smart machines can monitor their own performance, even diagnosing themselves.
Of course, such self-awareness is impossible for machines to achieve without a connection to a network that can support it. The reliability of 5G internet enables machines to monitor their own processes in real-time without interruption so that they can receive continuous input on their own operations. This lets them send prompt notifications to technicians when repairs are needed. The presence of sensors across multiple machine components enables them to convey information about the problem so that technicians can find the fix faster.
Whether it's consistent prophylactic maintenance or self-diagnosis, 5G internet has empowered machines on the assembly line to join the IoT, reducing downtime and saving companies millions.
A Connected Workforce
Another sign of transformation from the 5G revolution is the connectivity of its workforce — both to each other and the IoT.
Through remote support services empowered by wearable tech like Smartglasses and augmented reality devices (AR), technicians on the manufacturing floor find themselves linked to the broader IoT world.
This gives them a few advantages, namely:
- Machine insights: With immediate access to component blueprints and specs, technicians have all the knowledge they need at the tip of their fingers. This enables them to fix their machines faster, further reducing costly downtime.
- Third-party access: Even with extra information made available to them, sometimes supplier feedback is a must. Rather than arranging a flight to bring in a representative, component suppliers can be transferred virtually to the factory floor the moment they don their AR gear.
- Clear communication: Even when suppliers are consulted, obstacles like language barriers can slow the process down. The real-time translation ability of AR devices clarifies communication between all parties. It can also bring in as many team members as it takes to fix the problem quickly.
The Future of Industrial IoT
The advantages that AR tech brings to the factory floor are innumerable, but without 5G, they're also impossible. Transmitting real-time component data to an AR device requires negligible latency if it's to be done on a massive scale, especially if translation with a supplier representative is needed. Not only that, but the kind of network reliability required for onsite web access in some industries demands the stability that only 5G technology can provide. Between its speed, reliability, and strength, 5G internet is the best way for industries to implement the productivity advancements that the IoT has brought forth.