2023-09-25 09:01:00
It symbolizes, in itself, China’s enormous appetite for new technologies. In Ningbo, south of Shanghai, the IKD factory, a major automotive supplier whose parts (engine, brakes, gearboxes or mirrors, etc.) are present in 70% of cars in the world , was the first in the Middle Kingdom to convert to 5G. Unsurprisingly, it was Huawei, the local telecoms flagship, which supplied the antennas. The operator China Mobile, another national leader, took care of mobile coverage. Network deployment began in spring 2019, and was switched on in July 2020.
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According to Zhang Shuai, IKD’s director of digital transformation, it is under the impetus of its major customers – and in particular Porsche and Volkswagen – that the group decided to rush towards 5G. “They wanted improvements in product traceability and quality control”, explains the manager. In the event of a problem with a part – which is probably not rare – IKD must be able to identify the machine in question, but also the defective batches. In this regard, 5G has, according to Zhang Shuai, made it possible to significantly improve things. Each part is now marked with a QR code, allowing all stages and production conditions to be traced.
A ballet of giant robotic arms
Within the factory, all machines are connected via 5G. All are equipped with sensors – movement, pressure or even temperature. Their data is carefully recorded. “As soon as a problem arises, management is immediately notified by SMS”, emphasizes Zhang Shuai. Nothing escapes him. Software allows it to supervise in near real time everything that happens in each production workshop.
In the buildings dedicated to the machining and molding of parts, an incessant ballet of giant robotic arms shapes the products, often made of aluminum, at full speed and with a deafening din. They too are controlled in 5G. This technological shift, coupled with the automation of numerous tasks, has made it possible to significantly reduce the number of workers. Some workshops are now managed by a single employee, compared to four or five previously. Which is not a bad thing here: “The presence of ovens means that the temperature can rise to 40 or 50 degreesconfie Zhang Shuai. It is impossible to install air conditioning, as this would degrade the quality of the products. Today, young people no longer want to work in this unit. »
AI at the heart of quality control
5G, which eliminates the need for cables, makes it easier to install machines everywhere. These routine operations now take just a few hours. “Once the machine is installed, all we have to do is insert a chipsays the director of digital transformation. An afternoon, at most, is enough to complete the operation. » AGVs, small autonomous robots dedicated to transporting certain products and materials, reduce worker travel. Many no longer need to leave their work table. Quality control is carried out via cameras and artificial intelligence software. At each workshop, a single technician supervises this process. “It took seven before”insisted Zhang Shuai.
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Safety also benefits from this riot of technology. No corner of the factory escapes the cameras. These immediately and automatically warn unit managers if a worker forgets, for example, to wear his safety helmet. According to IKT, productivity has increased significantly. The time required to manufacture the parts has, according to management, been almost divided by three. The average productivity of the workers, of whom there are 1,100 working on the site, would have increased by 75%.
“Without 5G, everything stops”
The flip side is that now the factory’s connectivity is as important as its power supply. “Without 5G, everything stops”, summarizes Zhang Shuai. This technology has given rise to new problems. “We are increasingly concerned about cyberattacks, which are a daily occurrence”, declares the manager. But for now, he says this threat is under control.
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