3G, LTE, 4G: There have been considerable mobile network advances in recent years. The next big leap will be 5G. It will deliver far faster data transmission, driving the digital transformation of manufacturing, and supporting the Industry 4.0 vision. It will also enable profound improvements in logistics and intralogistics.
Slow data transfer, low bandwidth, unreliable availability: according to the German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association, VDMA, these are some of the issues that enterprises currently struggle with. After all, a fraction of a second can make all the difference when it comes to automated production equipment operating precisely and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) reacting in good time to nearby obstacles. The 5G network is designed to resolve these problems.
High performance in real time
With 5G, data is transmitted in milliseconds – 100 times faster than with LTE. And 100 times faster than the blink of an eye. This enables real-time wireless transfer and new opportunities in intralogistics. “It will be easier for intralogistics providers to develop suitable products and solutions because the work environment will be more reliable,” states Ansgar Bergmann, Project Manager, CTO, Technology and Innovation, at KION Group.
Ansgar Bergmann sees great potential, especially in robotics and collaboration between machines and humans. For instance, 5G technology will enable highly precise mobile picking robots, and the introduction of augmented reality in order to assist warehouse workers. 5G’s power and reliability will also allow the operation of entire fleets of AGVs within confined spaces, and the fast and simple management of the corresponding data in the cloud.
Replacement versus complement
Despite the many advantages and possible applications of 5G, the existing network standards will continue to be deployed. They are capable of supporting many conventional use cases, and in some instances can only be gradually replaced. “In any case, we will see a coexistence of the systems because it always depends on the application. 5G will be a big add-on, but it won’t cover all detailed applications,” concludes Ansgar Bergmann.
However, it will be some time until the full potential of 5G can be realized. According to a Gartner study, an end-to-end infrastructure will not be available until between 2025 and 2030.