5G in manufacturing| Orange Business

Manufacturing challenges Manufacturing in the modern world

Companies active in manufacturing face various challenges that can impact their operations, growth, and overall success.

Supply chain disruptions

The manufacturing process relies heavily on a complex supply chain. Disruptions such as raw material shortages, transportation delays, natural disasters, or geopolitical issues can cause production delays and increased costs.

Workforce skills gap

The shift towards advanced manufacturing technologies requires a skilled and adaptable workforce. Finding and retaining talent with the necessary technical skills can be challenging, especially in industries facing an aging workforce.

Environmental sustainability

As environmental awareness grows, manufacturers face increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices and reduce their carbon footprint. Implementing eco-friendly initiatives may require significant investments and changes to existing processes.

Cost pressures

Manufacturers often face cost pressures due to fluctuating raw material prices, energy costs, and labor expenses. Balancing cost reduction with maintaining quality can be a delicate task.

Global competition

Manufacturers often face intense competition from both domestic and international players. Competing on price, quality, and innovation becomes crucial to maintain a competitive edge.

Explore other industrial examples Deep dive into proven industrial 5G cases

The partner

Name: Skyebase

Sector: Manufacturing

The challenge

Industrial companies located in port areas require better preventive maintenance insights for their critical infrastructure (e.g., cranes, buildings, pipe-racks, etc.) and need safer, more cost-efficient, and high-quality inspection tools. Frequent inspections and the good condition of this infrastructure are crucial to ensure maximum uptime. Unforeseen defects result in significant cost increases due to increased downtime, extra maintenance activities, and an unsafe work environment.

The solution

SkyeBase collaborates with Orange to develop a Proof of Concept where drones inspect industrial infrastructure safely, efficiently, and with high quality. Cameras capture information for data analysis and inspection reporting through their I-Spect platform, which utilizes AI and digital twins to ensure maximum uptime and prevent cost increases. This 5G project leverages Orange Belgium's network and has been selected by the Federal Government of Economy for subsidies to accelerate the rollout of 5G use cases in Belgium.

We aim to guarantee the highest quality, taking into account both end customer requirements and the overall cost. Fortunately, we can rely on Orange’s expertise for this.
Tom Daniëls
CIO & Co-Founder SkyeBase

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Why is 5G essential?

5G serves as the crucial link between the drones, command vehicle, competence center, data analysis tools, and the I-Spect platform. It enables live streaming, real-time AI-driven defect detection, and stable, fast, and secure data transfer of inspection images.

The partner

Name : Covestro

Sector : Manufacturing

Project description

The 5G network installed by Orange in the port of Antwerp has allowed Covestro, a global pioneer in polymer technology, to embrace the power of 5G to revolutionize its field operations. By equipping its field operators with cutting-edge tablets and augmented reality (AR) glasses, Covestro has bid farewell to cumbersome paperwork and ushered in a new era of streamlined efficiency.

With 5G connectivity, Covestro's field operators now have instant access to all the necessary data and resources at their fingertips. Whether it's real-time production data, equipment manuals, or safety guidelines, everything is seamlessly accessible through their tablets.

The benefits of this technological leap are profound. Covestro's field operators can work more efficiently and effectively, optimizing production processes and reducing downtime. With immediate access to data and expert guidance through AR, they can make well-informed decisions on the spot, enhancing operational precision and safety.

With 5G we go to a full paperless world. It will enable us to make an efficient environment, where people can focus on their task and won’t lose time on searching for paper and documentation.
Peter Verdonck
Venture Manager at Covestro

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Why is 5G essential?

5G is crucial in this use case because it provides the foundation for faster data transfer, low latency, high capacity, IoT integration, and seamless AR and VR experiences. Covestro can give its technicians access to large amounts of data. Seeing all the information on the screen within the glasses, they have their hands free to do the actual work. These benefits enable Covestro's field operators to work more efficiently, make informed decisions in real-time, and leverage advanced technologies, ultimately improving productivity, safety, and operational excellence in the world of polymer production.

The partner

Name: Borealis

Sector: Manufacturing

Project description

Borealis, a producer of polyolefins, fertilisers and other basic chemicals subjects its products to rigorous quality controls. The production lines are analysed continuously with the assistance of a cloud application. In case of malfunction images and metadata are forwarded automatically for further investigation. Until recently this analysis was performed using a cable-based fixed network, but thanks to Orange’s port project, Borealis was recently introduced to the possibilities of 5G. The 5G network proved to be just as efficient and secure, but also offered greater flexibility. The much faster analysis process has enabled Borealis to boost efficiency.

As 5G is a ultra-high bandwidth connection, it could be the solution that proved the same data throughput as we currently have with fixed fiber connections.
Gunter Boeye
Expert in Contamination at Borealis

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Why is 5G essential?

Borealis is confident 5G holds great potential for the future. The company is examining the possibility of connecting its production with other applications in the cloud. This means a secure, efficient but wireless connection, without the nuisance or restrictions of installing a new cable network.

The partner

Nom: Port of Antwerp

Secteur: Manufacturing

Project description

Container ships are often too unwieldy to enter a port by themselves. They rely on the help of tugboats that push or pull them to the right dock. Large cargo ships are usually accompanied by two tugboats that need to work in perfect unison without actually seeing each other. This job requires a great deal of precision and experience. Fortunately, the captains can count on 5G to support them as they do their jobs.

When you have two tugboats with a really big vessel in between, one tugboat can’t see what the other tugboat is doing. 5G can help us to send the data – in a reliable, fast manner - to the other boat. So safety and operational excellence are guaranteed.
Wouter Faes
Teamleader Operations at Port of AntwerpAnvers

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Why is 5G essential?

The Port of Antwerp wants to assist the tugboats in these tasks by using the 5G network from Orange. A moving camera on the tugboat sends images to the control room in real time. Thanks to 5G, these images can be viewed almost instantly. This ensures that each tugboat knows exactly what the other one is doing at any given time.

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Planning a 5G project and need a test environment?

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Contact us today to explore how our 5G business solutions can cater to your specific business needs and requirements. Or visit our 5G Lab in Liège or Antwerp and test your 5G project in a live environment.

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Manufacturing challenges Manufacturing in the modern world

Explore other industrial examples Deep dive into proven industrial 5G cases

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