Why will 5G revolutionize the industry?

The arrival of 5G will revolutionize robotics in Industry 4.0, it will be expressed in increased performance in the warehouse and increased safety in operations. 5G will enable the industry to go further with a complete interconnection between machines, goods and people.

What is 5G?

5G is the fifth generation of mobile communications according to the IMT-2020 standard defined by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Therefore, 5G is an evolution of 4G, the technology currently used for data transmission between connected devices.

What is the difference with 4G?

The main difference between 5G and 4G is the speed of data exchange. According to early deployments by telecom operators such as Vodafone (in Europe), Verizon (in the U.S.) or EE (in the U.K.), 5G-equipped devices achieve connection speeds between 10 and 20 times faster than current 4G.

The benefits of 5G

5G promises to decrease the latency rate, the time it takes to start transferring a data packet over the network, to between 1 and 2 milliseconds, or 90% less compared to 4G.

Therefore, 5G will optimize supply chain operations in Industry 4.0, thanks to secure and extremely fast communication between different industrial devices connected to the network.

How will 5G impact logistics?

Automated elements in the warehouse rely on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth when wired connections are no longer an option. As a result, this leads to interference and instabilities between devices.

5G will enable devices to:

• Transmit data quickly and error-free over the Internet
• Enhance privacy
• Accelerate the exchange of information

5G will revolutionize warehouse productivity, as lower latency connections between operators and robotic elements will mean:

• More cycles/hour: a faster network will lead to more efficient mechanized elements in the warehouse.
• Reduced operating costs: 5G security will reduce errors in warehouse operations, avoiding unnecessary expenses.

In warehouses where voice picking devices and radio frequency terminals are used, lower latency will ensure more picks per hour. Operators will be more productive and the company will see greater profits.

5G will bring:

• Added value to the management of goods in transit: the integration of all elements of the supply chain will enable critical decisions to be made based on more information, such as real-time route selection.

Transportation is one of the supply chain elements that will be most impacted by the arrival of 5G: from autonomous (driverless) vehicles to drones, 5G opens up a multitude of possibilities in this area.

The age of robotics with 5G

5G will consolidate robotics in the warehouse. According to the study by the American consulting firm ABI Research, automation will take a very important part in the next decade. The forecast is for 50,000 robotic warehouses by 2025 (currently 4,000 worldwide).

In total, more than 4 million robots are expected to operate in the logistics sector. 5G will provide instant and secure connection between all the elements that make up the warehouse. Picking arms, stacker cranes or devices such as radio frequency terminals will become more efficient, flexible and secure thanks to 5G.

5G provides two major improvements for industrial logistics:

• Reduced occupational hazards
• Reduction of logistics costs

"Big data": how to leverage massive amounts of information?

5G offers a range of communication possibilities between all components of the supply chain. Interconnecting all warehouse operations on the same powerful and secure network facilitates the integration of different parts of the supply chain, ensuring full traceability of goods.

With the right tools, Big Data will enable logistics to:

• Anticipate market trends
• Detect errors
• Introduce solutions in the supply chain
• Detect new business opportunities for the future

All the information generated in the warehouse implies a new challenge for Logistics 4.0: how to analyze the huge volume of data produced from the interconnection of all the elements, in order to optimize the operational processes of the facility?