Infosys Consulting: 5G driving smart connected factories

Rafi Billurcu, Partner, Manufacturing at Infosys Consulting, discusses the evolution of smart connected factories with the use of 5G. The manufacturing industry is at the forefront of digital transformation, driving and inventing various new business models from Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing, and AI, to AR and VR, 3D printing, and connected and autonomous cars. However, the industry is still far from reaping the full benefits of disruptive technologies and digital. That’s because there’s one vital part of the jigsaw missing: connectivity. The capabilities that new technologies will confer on tomorrow’s factories depend on ultra-reliable, low latency communications between machines, sensors, databases and workers mobile devices.  While the 4G revolution mostly benefited consumers, it was not enough of a leap forward in connectivity to enable the services on which tomorrow’s factories will rely. That’s about to change with the advent of 5G. Forget about downloading high definition movies in seconds – instead, manufacturers should know how the next generation of mobile communications will transform their operations, leading to greater efficiencies, enhanced quality, and more innovative products.