In a partnership, three major technology giants, Ericsson, Amazon Web Services, and Hitachi America R&D, have recently united to spotlight the transformative potential of existing 5G, artificial intelligence, and automation solutions within the manufacturing sector. Their collaborative effort aims to elevate productivity, enhance efficiency, reduce environmental impact, bolster safety measures, and curtail costs. This milestone was realized through a private 5G infrastructure trial orchestrated by the three companies at Hitachi Astemo Americas' electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Berea, Kentucky, USA.
Real-time video feeds from the component assembly operation, processed using Hitachi video analytics, were transmitted across the Ericsson private 5G network. This approach enabled the early detection of defects, thereby minimizing material wastage and production losses. The primary objective was to construct, train, and implement these models to elevate product quality on the manufacturing floor, a substantial stride in integrating multiple technological components within the industry. It demonstrates the potential for improving product quality, operational efficiency, and supply chain optimization.
Ericsson Private 5G, built upon Ericsson's 4G and 5G radio technology and dual-mode core, facilitates a wide array of applications in both indoor and outdoor environments. It seamlessly integrates with business operations, devices, and applications, ushering in elevated levels of efficiency in productivity, cost-effectiveness, and energy consumption. This pre-integrated product will ensure swift deployment, offering advanced and intelligent operations while safeguarding sensitive data on-site. The adaptability of Ericsson Private 5G extends to various use cases, industries, and complexities, catering to the diverse needs of enterprises.
The deployment results have showcased significant operational and business impacts, from enhanced product quality and cost reduction to optimizing the entire supply chain ecosystem. Notably, the implementation of use cases through Ericsson Private 5G has been an achievement, as evidenced by the swift setup of cameras on a live production assembly line for electric vehicle motor components. The seamless transfer of vast video data to AWS Snow Family devices, enabled by 5G's low latency and high throughput, enabled streamlined decision-making.
On Thursday, August 24, 2023, Ericsson hosted a webinar discussing the full deployment and highlighting how private 5G is a dependable, flexible, and high-performance network for manufacturing use cases involving AI and ML automation models.