How 5G MEC enables green steel

3D MATERIAL AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

5G has had a huge impact on material and inventory management. For 5G has had a huge impact on material and inventory management. For example, the process of stacking and reclaiming positions, heights, lengths, and widths of the stockpiles which are now no-longer dependent on individual observations and personal judgment. By deploying 5G-enabled mobile 3D scanners, stockpiles can now be analysed in real time. Hitherto, the only option here was via wired optical fibres, which while physically impractical are also unsuitable for transferring the large amounts of data necessary to run an up-to-date and accurate cloud- based stock solution. With 5G, the massive amount of point cloud data scanned by 3D scanners is sent back to the data centre near-immediately, enabling real-time stocktaking and enhanced operational planning. Since implementation, the stockyards have increased production efficiency by 20%.

3D UNMANNED STACKERS AND RECLAIMERS

The stockyards, which are covered with protective sheds, are subject to serious vibrations from reclaimer motions, resulting in a harsh operating environment. Remote, unmanned driving of the stackers and reclaimers is required to improve the operating environment. Conventionally, fibre optics are used for remote transmission of video signals and control signals, with fibre reels placed on the rotating discs of the stackers and reclaimers to move, lay, and pick fibre optics. In this setup, optical fibres are prone to interruption which can affect normal production, complicate maintenance, and increase cost.

The introduction of 5G has enabled 3D modelling data, intelligent sensors, high-definition video technologies and real-time communication between control systems and the remote, intelligent decision-making systems which make use of low latency to enable inter-system coordination and unmanned operation of stackers and reclaimers. Typically this scenario requires precise control of production equipment and is demanding on the service latency (usually less than 20ms). However, the 5G access and MEC local offloading ensure the smooth operation of remote, unmanned driving. Combined with network slicing, the solution can meet the networking needs for remote, unmanned driving, realise flexible, independent sliced network resources, and guarantee network quality and safety of use.

INTELLIGENT CRUISING

The material factory has a total of 427 sealing-tape machines, which, due to their sheer number are complex to manage. In the event of any equipment faults, it becomes difficult to retrieve video footage of faulty equipment among so many recordings. Thankfully, 5G networks enable the transmission of high-definition videos. Based on the specific process chain information as well as the electrical fault and alarm messages of the equipment, operators can quickly locate the faulty points and automatically identify the monitoring camera of the equipment to project the image on to larger screens or send it to the terminal belonging to the relevant maintenance personnel. This 5G-enabled solution supports ‘video cruising’ and monitoring the specific production processes that following customizable routes.

By deploying application capabilities such as map sharing, route planning, and scheduling management, 5G solutions can enable remote cruise control and scheduling while sending back data such as real-time, high-definition images, equipment information, and environmental information over the 5G network. The edge cloud uses video transcoding and decoding and AI inference among other functions to pre-process video data and then transmits it to the central cloud. The central AI system conducts in-depth analysis of the collected data to identify any abnormality in the equipment or environment in the cruise area.

AI SUPERVISION OF PRODUCTION BEHAVIOUR

Managers may find it difficult to constantly supervise and issue reminders on the production behaviours of personnel in scenarios that feature a large area of operation, scattered with various sites and disciplines. However, enhanced disciplines. However, enhanced
mobile broadband enabled by 5G supports transmission of 4K high- definition videos of the operation sites in real-time. Combined with the AI platform, 5G supervision solutions can help analyse production behaviours intelligently and record and issue real- time inefficiency and hazard alerts. This can prevent accident, personal injury and damage to equipment.

With the 5G network traffic to data businesses well managed, one or more recognition algorithms can be configured for video streams or video files as needed by using functional modules such as AI algorithm libraries of atomic capabilities and intelligent video analysis. The solution includes the automatically captured event photos, event descriptions and time of occurrence overall achieving intelligent supervision of production behaviour.

AR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

Previously, operation and maintenance personnel manually recorded equipment operation and maintenance details in the paper form or via electronic platforms. For complex equipment, it was necessary to invite experts to the site to offer guidance on a regular or temporary basis. However, this approach has always been beset by semantic difficulties.

This has been transformed by 5G-enabled AR glasses which are used to record the spot-check details - and provide analysis - of each component. In a complex industrial environment, experts provide real-time guidance through text, images, real-time annotations and other spatial annotations that enable real-time interactions from the point of view of those seeing things first-hand. With the ability to invite multiple participants to engage with the issue, the AR solution can quickly locate the issues and share solutions in real-time via cloud-based interactions and remote diagnosis.

Automatic deployment and transcoding, rendering, and splicing capabilities of AR applications lays the network foundation for 5G and AR intelligent operations and maintenance and remote collaboration, supporting AR annotations, multi-user high-definition audio and video communication, and document-sharing achieving technical support with dramatically reduced costs.

INTELLIGENT MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF SEALING-TAPE MACHINES

Sealing-tape machines are a staple of the factory yet prone to motor or reducer failures, belt misalignments, slip, tearing, and other issues during production and operation due to the complex operating environment, the long transportation distance, and the large volume of material transported. What’s worse, the lack of effective detection and monitoring methods can lead to consequences such as lower production efficiency and severe accidents.

To address these issues, smart sensors have been used and 5G network technologies to improve the detection methods on equipment operational statuses, established a real-time digital model for equipment to manage equipment in a visualised manner,utilised an intelligent analysis model for rapid and intelligent diagnosis of faults, and conducted a systematic digital health assessment to ensure safe operation of the system.

In addition, Masteel has also analysed and evaluated equipment health statuses based on historical data and machine learning algorithms and models to implement predictive maintenance. Meanwhile, intelligent maintenance has been set up, with an inspection system which includes file management, spare part management, and equipment maintenance functions to remotely carry out operation, maintenance, and monitoring in an information-based and intelligent approach.

5G-based intelligent maintenance and inspection of sealing-tape machines is underpinned by collecting real-time data on motors, reducers and tapes. This data is then uploaded periodically and subject to algorithm-based analyses. The results are then sent to the operation and maintenance personnel to predict the equipment status and take measures in advance against any tape faults and safety risks.

The project has also set Masteel on its way to build a ‘5G + industrial internet’ industrial ecosystem which can be applied to the entire logistics and supply chain system. In collaboration with project partners, the deployment has also helped identify further enhancements in network planning and design, business modelling as well as more scenarios that can apply 5G such as video surveillance, remote control, and unmanned driving. The implementation of 5G has tackled the critical issues of steel production, poor operating environments, complex network deployment, excessive operators, low efficiency, high operation and maintenance costs, high labour intensity, difficult operations and maintenance evaluations, and limited supervisory measures. 5G’s integration with industrial applications has deepened relationships with ecosystem partners to inform new applications and accelerate 5G integration into R&D and design, production and manufacturing, fault operation and maintenance, logistics and transportation, and safety management.