5G and the Future of Material Handling: Exploring Opportunities in Crane & Hoist Systems

5G is transforming industries across the globe by offering multiple benefits that come with it, such as being extremely reliable, having low latency, and providing real-time connectivity. In particular, material handling and crane and hoist systems could benefit greatly from 5G, and we could start seeing its implementation very soon. Although we, at Mitsubishi Electric, aren't offering solutions specific to 5G just yet, we've had the opportunity to be a part of many impactful conversations where we were able to see the ideas of many companies on where the future of 5G lies.

What is 5G?

Let's take a moment to reflect on what exactly 5G is to understand better how it fits into material handling. 5G is the fifth generation of cellular network technology and brings with it the most benefits we've seen thus far. For example, it has low latency, fast speeds, and greater capacity. Many might only compare this 5G to our cell phones or other areas where we use this technology. However, this powerful cellular technology has been a game-changer for industries across the globe; this is where material handling comes in.

How 5G Fits in With Material Handling

Material handling is an operation within industries that's very important, and although the current system is typically sufficient for today's needs, there are still challenges that can be solved with 5G integration. When we look at material handling as a whole, it is currently set up so that the crane and hoist systems are managed by WiFi-based networks. This is functional; however, it also means they can face problems such as signal interference, bandwidth issues, and response time latency. 5G is a great opportunity to solve some of these challenges currently faced. Let's look more in-depth at how it can help:

Low Latency: Low latency will allow little to no lag in communication. In fact, 5G can deliver latency as low as 1 millisecond, which is extremely critical for safety and precision in crane and hoist operations.

Ability for Many Devices: WiFi can only support a limited number of devices on its network before you start to notice deficiencies within it. However, 5G can handle thousands of devices on its network with no lag or performance issues. This is beneficial because it allows full fleets of material handling machinery to be on a single network without any issues.

Extreme Reliability: Reliability is an important factor for nearly any industry or situation that you are in. With 5G, there is consistent reliability with dedicated bandwidth and reduced interference. This is especially necessary for industries that have complex layouts or operate with heavy machinery.

Specific Use Cases of 5G in the Industry

We, Mitsubishi Electric, got the amazing opportunity to talk with some top contenders in the industry about what the future of 5G looks like and what role they play in it. It was a great way to see what the possibilities could look like and how we can be a part of it in the near future. With this said, we've revolutionized crane and hoist systems with our technology to push the industry forward even without the integration of 5G.

5G Opportunities and Challenges in the Crane and Hoist Industry

We've touched on many of the benefits and challenges associated with material handling as it relates to 5G and the benefits of incorporating it. Let's look at these challenges and opportunities laid out and established in an easier-to-digest way to showcase some of the current challenges and how 5G could potentially help solve those challenges.

5G Opportunities

• Real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance
• Scalability for future automation and AI integration
• Safer and more efficient operations
• Improved fleet organization
• Increased fleet availability on networks
• Lowering maintenance efforts by replacing wired controls with wireless 5G
• Remote control of crane operations through the vision of wireless cameras to a remote operator

5G Challenges

• Cost and ROI considerations
• Ensuring data security and cybersecurity
• Industry-wide standardization

Where Does Mitsubishi Electric Stand Today?

At Mitsubishi Electric Automation, the benefits of 5G, especially in material handling applications, are evident. We continue to have these conversations with customers to consider solutions in this sector. Right now, we are focused mainly on understanding 5G in our industry, how our customers may benefit from it the most, use cases that allow us to see it in action, and exploring the opportunity to integrate it in the future at Mitsubishi Electric. Ultimately, we offer solutions for material handling that can be a great opportunity to push into the future and get a better handle on your operations. In particular, our automation solutions for material handling offer increased performance and safety, making it a beneficial solution across the board for anyone in the material handling business.

The Future of 5G

We can expect 5G to play a crucial role in material handling and crane and hoist operations, as it has become a huge part of other areas of our lives. As technology advances and we see the impacts of this daily, we can see that the future of 5G will be prominent in many other areas as well. Right now, we are focused on other solutions at Mitsubishi Electric, such as the FR-A800 Plus VFD and FR-E800 VFD, with built-in anti-sway technology, as well as our compact FR-D800 VFD with built-in infinite speed control, to allow for more safety and convenience in crane and hoist operations. We've worked to develop solutions that can be of use even for those that don't have access to, or aren't ready, to implement 5G, providing opportunities to streamline processes and bring integration useful to material handling-related applications.

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