5G robotic arms performed corresponding operations accurately and automated guided vehicles moved beyond preset routes and physical markers for navigation. This is part of the assembly line of Midea Refrigeration Equipment Thailand, which gave visitors a feel of fancy technology of automation, digitization and intelligence.
As the first overseas 5G factory of China's electrical appliance manufacturer Midea Group, the factory is located in Thailand's Chonburi province, covering an area of approximately 208,000 square meters, with an overall planned annual production capacity of more than 4 million units.
The 5G fully connected factory was jointly built by China's Midea, major Chinese telecom service provider China Unicom, China's tech giant Huawei and Thai mobile operator AIS, setting a new standard for smart manufacturing in Thailand at the forefront of innovation.
Asnee Wipatawate, head of Enterprise Telecom Technology Product Department at AIS, said AIS has cooperated with China's companies to build a dedicated 5G network for Midea, covering an area of approximately 160,000 square meters in order to ensure efficient interconnection of the assembly lines.
"After using the 5G private network, each production phase is seamlessly connected, and the operating efficiency has been improved by 15 percent to 20 percent," said Vincent Cai, general manager of Midea Refrigeration Equipment Thailand.
The 5G private network embodies the features of wide connectivity and low latency, which solves the bottleneck of communication interruption through traditional communication methods, said Cai.
A 5G AI inspection system has also been deployed in this factory, which could identify the shape of parts and locate the position of parts through laser sensors, reducing rework rates by 75 percent. Once the unqualified part is found, the assembly line will issue a warning in time, Cai added.
In this project, operators have been pivotal in driving digital transformation. Thailand's 5G network readiness positions itself as a frontrunner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The value of 5G is to provide application scenarios for enterprises.
China Unicom combined its experience in building smart factories in China with Thailand's ecological resources to explore the application of 5G in the manufacturing industry in Thailand, said Eunice Tse, general manager of China Unicom Operations (Thailand) Limited.
"Through cooperation with Chinese companies, we have learned the application experience of 5G new technology. In the future, we will copy this experience to help more Thai companies in their digital transformation," said Asnee.
The Thai government has proposed the Thailand 4.0 strategy in recent years. In the process of promoting Thailand's digital transformation, Chinese companies help Thailand build a digital ecosystem in smart cities, transportation, energy, education as well as commercial field.
"We have seen how 5G has played an important role in driving industry transformation. The manufacturing sector has shown significant potential for development and transformation with the adoption of 5G technology," said Woragarn Likhitdechasakdi, chief technology officer of Huawei Thailand.
Woragarn added that Huawei would remain committed to collaborating with industrial customers, operators and partners to drive 5G development in Thailand.