AIS 5G Business has now launched services and solutions ready for 5G network deployment to serve and connect with the industrial sectors, including manufacturing. The company has teamed up with a range of partners in both government and private sectors, powering 5G private network technological know- how to enhance competitiveness in every manufacturing processes. The latest collaboration is with Thai Automation and Robotics Association (TARA), to help promote Thai Automation System Integrators (ASI) as supply side with the development of 5G Network Solutions and platforms. The aim is to provide technological know-how to Thai industrial sectors in order to be able to compete with foreign technology, and to deliver Industry 4.0 solutions in Thailand. Leading Thai automation and robotic system powerhouse, Lertvilai and Sons Co., Ltd, has achieved success in developing real use case of Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) with AIS 5G Private Network platform at the electrode manufacturing plant Yawata Electrode (Thailand) Co., Ltd. in Nakhon Ratchasima, the manufacturer of welding electrodes. Such efforts have clearly demonstrated that AIS 5G private network do work in real time and able to drive Thai manufacturing industry on to becoming smart factories or Industry 4.0 factories.

Tanapong Ittisakulchai, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at AIS 5G Business explained, “We have seen growth opportunities in the industrial sector to deploy technology as a driver of digital transformation through being a provider of 5G industrial solutions. Previously, we have been putting effort into developing the potential and capabilities of our 5G network, with the key goal of implementing our 5G smart network to connect and enhance the operations of different sectors. These are the foundations of future national growth. We are now ready to bring every industrial sector into the world of 5G Industrial Solutions.

“After collaborating with partners across several industry sectors, today is another important occasion for our collaboration with Thai Automation and Robotics Association (TARA). One of TARA mission is to promote technology development to reinforce the adoption of automation and robotics for both supply and demand sides. Technology development in this case is AIS 5G network deployment. Supply side being TARA’s member, Thai Automation System Integrators (ASI) and demand side being customers from all sectors, industrial and manufacturing included. Today, we see the obvious outcome of collaborating with a partner who is expert in developing digital solutions for industrial factories, with the real-time deployment of automation and robotic solutions for industry. The 5G Private Network platform is a private network service for specialist use in factories with capabilities of Network Slicing to allocate resources. This gives the network the properties to support the specific needs of applications such as speed and low latency. This custom network design keeps data connections private, despite it’s being a wireless network. The result is data transfers which have flexibility, low latency and exceptionally high data security. These underline AIS’ leadership of the enterprise and the industrial segments. We believe that this collaboration will foster the Ecosystem of Thai industry to have the potential to cope with opportunities and competition which will arise in the future.”

Dr. Prapin Abhinorasaeth, President of Thai Automation and Robotics Association (TARA), and Managing Director of Yawata Electrode (Thailand) Co., Ltd., further explained, “Thai Automation and Robotics Association has previously worked with a range of government and private sector partners. It has the core mission of supporting entrepreneurs with research and development as well as providing commercial cooperation. It promotes the industrial sector to adopt automation and robotic systems to boost capabilities and increase the productivity of manufacturing factories with new technologies. On this occasion, we are delighted to be cooperating with AIS, a leader in 5G network technology. AIS 5G has the same goal of helping to upgrade factories in the industrial sector to give them a competitive edge and keep up with the world of technology by adopting automation systems, robotics assist processes, interoperability data connectivity, 5G Private Network platform, etc., so Thai factories will be more productive and able to cope with foreign competition in the future.

“Today, one of our Thai automation system integrator member company, Lertvilai, has succeeded in doing researched and development of automation, robotic systems and solutions which meet the needs of a wide range of manufacturers. Of course, AIS 5G network is being deployed on a commercial basis through the cooperation with Lertvilai, which has applied solutions to transform the manufacturing processes at Yawata factory. This is powered by the 5G network, and must be considered a crucial step for Thai industrial sector to enter Industry 4.0 and compete in global markets.”

Yawata Electrode (Thailand) Co., Ltd., one of the largest manufacturers of welding electrodes in Thailand for over 50 years, has been in a process of continual factory improvement through digital transformation technology. With Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) three-year 100% corporate income tax exemption under BOI’s “Measure to promote improvement in production efficiency by upgrading technology and machinery for manufacturing”, the company has upgraded its machineries with automation and robotic technology systems including AIS 5G network platform to help increase productivity, reduce costs and increase workers’ safety in the factory.

Dr. Kunlachat Seniwong na Ayutthaya, R&D Manager of Robotics and Automation at Lertvilai and Sons added, “We are very excited today that automation and robotic solutions developed with the support and collaboration with AIS are now in use at Yawata factory. This is a manufacturer of welding electrodes with a somewhat complex production process of moving raw materials, work in process and finished goods among production floors. We can clearly see that Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), robots with capabilities to move material automatically, and are completely autonomous inside the factory with no guidelines on the floor like older systems. However, one of the requirements is to have wireless connection that is stable, low latency, able to have full coverage inside the factory and high security of data transmission. AIS 5G Private Network meets all of the above requirements. In addition, it is also the starting point for developing every component of Smart Factory solutions such as Robotics, AMRs, PLC on IIoT systems, and interoperability data connectivity in order to becoming smart factories. AIS 5G Private Network efficiently allows for “Everything Connected”, i.e., seamless data connectivity among OT, IT and the Cloud. We are aiming to help transform Thai industry onto becoming smart factories or Thailand Industry 4.0 factories to help power our national growth.

Published 22 December 2021