Mazak chosen for UK government flagship 5G factory initiative

Yamazaki Mazak has been chosen as one of a select few UK companies to act as a ‘testbed’ for the deployment of next-generation 5G technology, with a view to improving commercial digital infrastructures and ultimately boosting productivity across the UK industrial sector.

5G is set to become the industry standard for connectivity in the future. With potential speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, it could allow for industrial automation systems to operate at as-yet-unseen speeds, as well as increase the speed of real-time analysis, meaning quicker reactions to any red flags and reduced downtime.

Mazak is part of the Worcestershire 5G consortium, and was chosen due to its pioneering work to date in implementing Industry 4.0 design principals throughout its portfolio of machine tools and CNC technology.

Mazak’s factory in the UK

The consortium has been granted £4.8 million in government funding to conduct the 5G testbed trial. The funding will be used to gauge how faster Internet speeds can improve industrial productivity and advanced cyber security, via increased investment in next-generation technology. This will include experimenting with preventative and assisted maintenance techniques using robotics, big data analytics and augmented reality, at the company’s European Headquarters, in Worcester.

Marcus Burton at Yamazaki Mazak, comments: “Manufacturers across the UK and beyond are now reaping the productivity rewards of greater connectivity among their industrial equipment. Industry 4.0 centres on the key design principals of interoperability of machines and devices, greater data transparency, technical assistance and decentralised decision making. We are starting to see these factors become more commonplace among UK manufacturers, but current Internet speeds can only take us so far.”

“The 5G Testbed represents a hugely exciting opportunity to drive further productivity growth, and facilitate even faster data transfer and analysis for manufacturers. It can only be a positive investment for the UK’s industrial sector.”

For more information contact Hi-Tech Machine Tools on TEL: 011 608 0088 or visit www.hitech.co.za