The U.K. government and public/private organizations in England are coming together to push Industry 4.0 forward. A good example of this is a standalone 5G private network that has been deployed at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry, England to provide corporations, universities, and the entire telecom industry with the opportunity to explore private 5G and on-premises multi-edge computing. The MTC is an independent research and technology organization that is meant to bridge the gap between academia and industry.
West Midlands 5G, a U.K. agency that manages projects to speed the launch of 5G, collaborated on the Private 5G Network with nexGworx, a 5G testbed group, and its technology partners, BT and Nokia.
The first 5G-enabled demonstration at the MWC featured 5G-connected robotics, computer vision and edge computing, based on Nokia Digital Automation Cloud. The trial showcased an automated inspection process to prove how intelligent automation and advanced connectivity could enable manufacturing sites to maximize productivity and utilization of inspection technology, while reducing footprint and product waste.
Communicating via BT’s private standalone 5G network, automated visual inspections can check that each component meets specification using high-definition cameras, before autonomously delivering parts to the next stage in the process.
By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor
Reader Interactions