The 5G Smart Factory Forum was held at the Huawei European Supply Center (HESC) in Budapest recently. At the forum, Huawei stated that 5G-powered innovative solutions, including self-driving vehicles, AI-driven quality control, and AR-assisted remote maintenance, will serve as the typical applications and basic capabilities of future smart factories.
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To drive broad adoption of 5G and AI technologies in Industry 4.0-related fields and thus facilitate the development of the digital economy, Huawei promised to continue promoting the inclusion of innovative 5G solutions for Industry 4.0 infrastructure in the Global Alliance on AI for Industry and Manufacturing (AIM Global) launched by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
Vicky Zhang, Vice Director of Huawei’s Global Corporate Communications Department, said that in 5G’s fourth year of commercial use, innovative applications integrating 5G, AI, and cloud computing technologies are being used across various industries, particularly in smart manufacturing. She also pointed out that there are already mature best practices, like HESC in Páty, that demonstrate the tangible business and social value of these innovative applications.
“Next, Huawei will work with international organizations like UNIDO to promote the sharing and application of 5G industrial infrastructure solutions and related capabilities around the world, in order to drive the development of Industry 4.0,” Zhang said.
In July this year, Huawei and UNIDO launched AIM Global, which is dedicated to building a platform for collaboration and knowledge-sharing and facilitating the innovation and application of AI technologies in the industrial and manufacturing sectors.
Dr. Ulrike Fasbender, Professor at the University of Hohenheim in Germany, sees HESC as a prime example of the rapid development and innovation spurred by digitalization. She said: “The impact of digital solutions such as augmented reality and autonomous forklifts enabled by 5G connectivity are a true game-changer for workplaces. If done right, these technologies let employees solve tasks more efficiently while shielding them from strenuous and unhealthy tasks. Such improved working conditions will be crucial for employability as the average age of the working population increases.”
Dr. Fasbender said countries and companies that fail to make good use of technology will lose their competitiveness in the digital economy, and that an economy can only stay dynamic by revolving around the ecosystems that serve industry.
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Sandor Papp, Deputy Director of HESC, noted, “HESC first deployed 5G-powered automation solutions at the end of 2019. Since then, we have integrated a dedicated core network with the local edge computing system to realize self-driving forklift trucks and the full automation of the entire logistics system. In addition, AI-driven quality control and AR-assisted remote maintenance have improved the logistics efficiency of our entire campus by 20%, greatly enhancing Huawei’s ability to serve its European customers.”
“Moving forward, Huawei will leverage its strengths in R&D, digital technologies, and supply chains to strengthen collaboration with all players across supply chains. We will also help empower local companies to enhance the adoption of digital and intelligent technologies during their production and operations, so that we can achieve high-quality development together,” he added.
HESC, which is based in Hungary, is Huawei’s largest supply center outside China and is responsible for supplying Huawei products to more than 50 countries in Europe, Central Asia, and Northern Africa. The center handles around 50,000 to 60,000 items every month, and transports an average of 400 cubic meters of outbound cargo hauled by 30 trucks every day.
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