Sensor technology has become increasingly affordable to manufacturers, and their ability to provide constant real-time data on machine health, factory conditions, and other matters make them invaluable to smart factories. The IoT connects these sensors to the MES, which can utilize the data to detect issues on the floor, plan predictive maintenance, and reduce downtime due to unexpected problems.
The data collected throughout a smart factory, combined with AI-powered data analytics, allows factory managers to not only diagnose current issues and evaluate past performance, but also to predict and prevent future problems. Prescriptive analytics can determine what needs to be done in the future to improve performance and inform decision-making, helping to reduce waste and improve efficiency and quality.
These systems all receive a boost in effectiveness from the arrival of 5G, which provides faster information transfer, lower latency, and greater bandwidth. It creates a smoother experience for workers operating machinery remotely, with faster response times and feedback. 5G also makes it faster and easier to update machinery and give industrial robots new tasks. While 5G may not add new capabilities on its own, it can improve existing capabilities across multiple smart factory components.