Automation in warehouses is no longer the preserve of science fiction. Yet while autonomous vehicles are becoming more widely adopted and accepted in warehouses, they tend to fulfil very basic and restricted roles. As futuristic as they seem, these ambling pallet shuttles or sorting devices represent only the tip of a technological iceberg – and one that’s likely to be driven by 5G technology.
The dramatically higher speeds and bandwidth available via 5G internet make it relevant for more than just watching videos on your phone. Through 5G deployment, new sensors and devices could drive more reliable and more advanced automation than is possible with current WiFi standards, opening up everything from industrial robots to augmented reality.
What is 5G?
5G is the latest cellular network standard, and the successor to 4G. 5G compatibility is included in most new mobile phones, and masts which output 5G have been installed in many major towns and cities. Like 4G and 3G before it, 5G represents a major leap in wireless Internet speeds, in many cases far superseding your home broadband connection.
Where 4G has a theoretical top speed of 100-300 Megabits per second (Mbps), 5G can reach up to 1-3 Gigabits per second (Gbps), a tenfold increase. It is also more stable and has a lower latency (lag) than 4G, making it more suitable for tasks where the speed of data transfer is particularly important. Widespread 5G rollout is seen as pivotal for the driverless car industry, which requires this speed and stability to make split-second decisions.
These improvements are largely down to how 5G is transmitted. Where 4G and previous standards were transmitted over long distances by large radio towers, 5G is transmitted at short distances by local antennae. This means that while the capabilities of 5G are magnitudes greater than previous generations, it requires more substantial and better infrastructure in order to achieve similar levels of coverage.
Why 5G Technology is relevant to warehouses
5G seems more pertinent to phones and cars than pallets and forklifts. But the exciting thing about 5G is that it isn’t just wireless broadband. The fact that it is powered by smaller, local antennae – and the speeds and reliability it offers – mean that it could enable entirely new applications in all sorts of sensors, industrial vehicles and other electronic devices.
Sensors currently used in warehouses rely on a WiFi signal to transmit data, either to a WMS on a local network, or over the internet. These sensors are generally reliable, but somewhat limited in scope. They can provide data for a central system to interpret, such as how many pallets are still in a stack, or when people have passed through a particular area, but this is about as complicated as things get.
5G opens up the potential for calculations requested by a device to be performed on powerful remote computers, with the answers being sent back to the device. This means that a small chip could make use of much more powerful hardware to drive its processes and decision making. Sensors could become more intelligent and capable, while vehicles could be truly autonomous, with remote computers helping them to fulfil tasks and avoid collisions.
The 5G warehouse of the future
5G in a warehousing and logistics context is often paired with the term Industry 4.0, the idea of a pending fourth industrial revolution. If Industry 3.0 started with the introduction of the first IT-driven automation – things like CAD modelling and automatic assembly lines – Industry 4.0 will mark the point at which automation works in harmony with human operatives. In Industry 4.0, automation will maximise the reduction in human labour, fulfilling all of the repetitive and strenuous tasks in a warehouse or production environment.
5G is central to this because of the data bandwidth and throughput it offers. As mentioned earlier, 5G signals can transmit more data at once, faster and more reliably than other forms of wireless communication. When almost every aspect of a warehouse is automated – from transporting, loading and unloading pallets to managing inventory and traffic – the WMS will need to receive and process a huge amount of data. Not only this, but vehicles will have to make near-instantaneous decisions powered by remote processors to operate safely.
Visible automation everywhere you look
A 5G warehouse will be one where automation is everywhere you look, both invisible (in the form of sensors) and visible (in the form of machinery and devices). This could be autonomous vehicles, rail-bound storage and retrieval systems, portable scanners, networked phone applications, robotic packaging systems, and more. All of these would be constantly communicating with each other, with a WMS acting as the conductor of this grand digital orchestra. The human element would be oversight, fulfilling roles that the robots still find difficult (such as picking and packing oddly shaped or delicate items), and maintenance.
5G warehouses will also benefit from greater portability and flexibility. As many machines currently aren’t networked, they require operators to work at stations. Networked machines could be controlled by interfacing with them locally using a mobile operating panel, or controlled and shut down remotely. This could provide cost savings in the form of lower equipment costs and fewer staff being required, as well as safety benefits. The broad availability of 5G could also provide greater accuracy and mobility in tracking, showing you where everything is within your supply chain at a moment’s notice.
“Automation in warehouses is no longer the preserve of science fiction”
As with any emerging technology, realising the dream of a fully 5G warehouse is still some distance away for most businesses. Yet the proliferation of 5G technology is already such that it is being deployed at the top end by major manufacturers, ports and logistics companies. Familiarising yourself with the concepts behind a 5G warehouse now – and putting in the groundwork for the 5G future – will stand you in good stead for the years to come.
James Beale is Operations Manager at The Invicta Group, a world-renowned specialist contractor. As well as designing and installing warehouse pallet racking, Invicta is known for its industry-leading Durasteel passive fire & blast protection systems, mobile shelving systems, and warehouse mezzanine floors.
At The Institute of Supply Chain Management (IoSCM), we offer five levels of UK and internationally recognised warehouse management online courses. We offer a modern, flexible approach to distance learning. As with most supply chain sectors, the roles and responsibilities of those in an Warehousing and Operations position can be varied. IoSCM’s Warehousing Academy enables those in industry to develop their skills through bespoke distance learning courses.