Testimonials Sustainable steel production with 5G Connected Steel

With the support of FPS Economy, SMEs, Self-Employed and Energy.

ArcelorMittal Belgium continuously innovates and optimises to make its steel production more sustainable and energy-efficient. For this, it needs a stable and reliable network connection. The company encountered the limitations of Wi-Fi as a wireless communication technology for certain use cases at its Ghent site. 

Wide geographical coverage is often required for logistical applications, but Wi-Fi’s limited transmission power proved insufficient. In addition, the Wi-Fi spectrum is licence-free, meaning the steel producer’s industrial applications had to compete with other users in the area. 

Steven De Roo of ArcelorMittal Belgium explains: “If someone used a wireless action cam or if a ship with lots of Wi-Fi devices entered the harbour, it impacted our processes.” ArcelorMittal Belgium was therefore looking for an alternative network technology that the company could fully control.

Increased efficiency and sustainability 

When the Belgian government launched a call in 2023 for innovative pilot projects to accelerate the implementation of 5G, this search for a reliable network connection gained momentum. ArcelorMittal submitted a subsidy application with Orange Business for the 5G Connected Steel project. 

“The combination of the architecture, the pricing and the thorough feedback on our specifications was the deciding factor for us to work with Orange Business,” De Roo says. The subsidy application was approved, and the innovative co-creation trajectory started on 1 February 2024. “This project, in which 5G is used to increase efficiency and sustainability, is fully aligned with our Lead the Future strategy,” adds Stefan Danneels, 5G Customer Solution Architect at Orange Business.

Reliable and secure network

Orange Business installed a private 5G network at ArcelorMittal Belgium’s Ghent site. This required thorough preparation and close cooperation with the company and various subcontractors. The industrial environment added complexity to the radio network design: tall buildings and metal structures block and reflect radio signals. 

“Theoretical studies don’t tell the whole story. We had to perform extensive field tests to determine the optimal position, angle, height and transmission power of the antennas,” Danneels recalls.

Reliability was essential, as production must operate 24/7. The radios are redundantly connected to ArcelorMittal’s two data centres via separate fibre-optic lines, and the radio network was deployed in both 5G and 4G, De Roo explains: “If there is an issue with 5G, we can fall back on 4G. It also provides an onboarding path for devices that don’t yet support 5G.”

Safe maintenance was also a priority. The antenna masts were designed so the antennas can be safely inspected and maintained without a ladder. Safety zones were established based on radiation exposure risks, and additional measures were taken to ensure installations can be safely powered down, eliminating the risk of electrocution during maintenance.

Thanks to 5G, we can limit heat loss during transport.

Steven De Roo, ArcelorMittal Belgium

Specific connectivity needs

Besides the network installation, the project included the development of three pilot use cases with specific connectivity requirements. 

By enabling automatic overhead cranes to communicate with automation infrastructure on the ground via 5G standalone rather than Wi-Fi, safety risks are cut and production processes run more smoothly. 

In scrap vehicles too, the transition to 5G contributes to safer and more efficient operations. In a third use case, rail vehicles were equipped with 5G connectivity to provide the driver with logistical information and enable remote transport monitoring, including real-time video feeds. 

“Thanks to real-time logistical information via 5G, we can reduce heat loss and energy consumption during transport from the blast furnaces to the various production departments,” De Roo explains.

Initial tests show that the private 5G network operates more stably than Wi-Fi for these use cases. “The Ericsson dual core solution we use also allows us to make a proper comparison between 4G and 5G.” The project was a learning process, De Roo emphasises: “We chose these three use cases to gather enough insights before moving to full deployment. Such knowledge building requires significant time and resources, and this would not have been possible without the subsidies.”

Innovative co-creation

5G Connected Steel was a complex implementation involving many stakeholders, De Roo adds. “You can’t accomplish this alone. Fortunately, over the two-year project period, collaboration was excellent with Orange Business, hardware supplier Ericsson, OTIV, which supplied the wireless camera system on the locomotives, and contractor Arcadis, who were responsible for fibre and power. We also appreciated that the project manager at Orange Business, Giuseppe Arena, immediately recognised our safety culture and made it a priority. Although the subsidy programme ends at the end of this year, we hope for a long and fruitful collaboration with Orange.”

Danneels expects 5G to gain importance across industry, in its various forms. In this project, ArcelorMittal Belgium chose a private 5G network to keep full control, but public 5G networks can also guarantee a high level of security and reliability using slicing. 

“We can even set up a hybrid network, combining public and private 5G,” he says. What’s more, 5G and Wi-Fi will continue to coexist: 5G for large geographical coverage outdoors or in large halls, and Wi-Fi where short-range high bandwidth is needed.