JLR's Solihull Private 5G Network Retrofit Goes Live
The private 5G network, enabled by Ericsson and installed at JLR’s Solihull site as part of the 5G Innovation Regions (5GIR) Advanced Manufacturing programme, has now been successfully deployed.
Delivered by WM5G and funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the project aims to streamline JLR’s operations by enabling seamless real-time data transmission, revolutionising its manufacturing processes.
“This deployment is a key milestone in the project and I am proud of the way our delivery partners and the team at JLR have pulled together to achieve network deployment in record time," says Jess Ellis, 5GIR programme director at WM5G.
“Smart manufacturing has long been heralded as a game changer for the industry.
"It has huge potential to improve productivity and unleash capacity across the manufacturing sector, be that by reducing production bottlenecks, predicting and reducing downtime, improving workflow or ensuring and reviewing quality at every stage of the manufacturing process.
“A huge amount of work has gone into getting the project this far: from clarifying service requirements and developing suitable real-world use cases, to identifying and procuring service providers and co-ordinating the installation alongside 'business as usual'. We are proud of the work the whole team has delivered to bring this complex project together.”
This initiative is the first in the UK to retrofit a private 5G network into a live manufacturing environment, bridging the gap between digital theory and practical application.
The facility allows JLR to test multiple use cases, gather essential data to support business case development, and create a blueprint for wider adoption, not only within JLR but across the UK manufacturing industry.
At the Solihull plant, the private 5G network currently links production machinery with several Dell edge computing devices and the Litmus Data Ops platform.
“5G availability in our manufacturing facilities in the Midlands is essential to JLR’s digital transformation as we enhance the performance of our industrial footprint," says Stephen, digital operations director at JLR.
"As we gear up to the production of our next generation electric vehicles and their new platforms, the adoption of advanced wireless technologies will improve the scalability, flexibility and resilience of our manufacturing sites."
“Full 5G network deployment is a key milestone in our journey to realising the benefits of smart manufacturing," says Duncan Hawkins, vice president of private network sales, enterprise wireless solutions at Ericsson, whose 5G technology powers the private network.
"The network’s significantly increased speeds and bandwidth, lower latency and enhanced security, will all enable manufacturers like JLR to truly realise the potential of real-time, data-led shop-floor management.”
This integration fosters a more agile and responsive manufacturing environment for JLR’s Range Rover vehicles, enabling production managers to turn real-time data insights and simulations into meaningful operational efficiencies.
Last week at TechUK, the Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, announced an extension to the 5GIR Advanced Manufacturing programme, reinforcing the government’s commitment to advancing digital transformation in the sector.
“As a UK first for a retrofit private 5G network in a live manufacturing environment, the design and installation of the network has not been without its challenges but we are delighted that it is successfully deployed on time and ready to support JLR’s digital transformation," says Rhys Enfield, head of infrastructure acceleration at WM5G.
“The lessons learned along the way will be almost as valuable as the innovation itself and it is these learnings - along with the evidence and data gathered from the next stage of the programme - that will inform our blueprint for wider industry adoption, accelerating roll out across the UK.”
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