“ 5G has the potential to add new smart manufacturing capabilities in electronics manufacturing — both for manufacturers focused on extremely high yield levels and equipment suppliers looking to do more remote diagnostics .”
Tom Salmon , Vice President for Collaborative Technology Platforms at SEMI and the Executive Director of the Fab Owners Alliance ( FOA )
5G – Its Potential Impact in SMART Manufacturing
5G technology will create an unprecedented fabric of connected devices , pushing the wireless revolution well beyond handsets , enabling widespread connectivity of just about everything , including laptops , vehicles , IoT devices , manufacturing plants , and city infrastructure .
Businesses , governments and consumers will reap the benefits of multi-gigabit speeds , ultra-low latency , simplistic scalability , and virtually unlimited capacity . While the full benefits of the 5G rollout is on the near horizon , one of the earliest beneficiaries is expected to be manufacturing .
In the semiconductor industry , 5G is being hailed as an enabling technology for “ smart manufacturing ” that uses production and sensor data to improve manufacturing efficiencies and adaptability .
With greater reliability and peak data speeds that will be at least 20 times that of 4G networks , 5G will enable wafer fabs to use wireless technology for many quality control and predictive maintenance applications that existing networks cannot .
For example , 5G speeds makes it possible to apply edge or cloud-based AI technologies to packaging and inspection steps , improving quality and yield .
5G will also help maximize the uptime of manufacturing equipment , enabling technicians to perform maintenance and repair operations remotely . The streaming of sensor data over 5G networks will not only enable fabs to build chips more efficiently and reduce waste , they will also provide real-time data on the environmental conditions within a fab , delivering immediate warnings in the cases of chemical-related worker safety hazards .
Currently , chip makers and equipment vendors are showcasing real-use examples for 5G . In the case of brand-new “ greenfield ” chip fabs , investing in 5G infrastructure is a no-brainer , as the high-speed wireless connectivity will reduce the amount of hardwired infrastructure required .
In the case of existing fabs , SEMI members are weighing the return on investment associated with replacing existing networks with 5G . The future ahead and potential impact for 5G is bright indeed .
Learn about SEMI SMART Manufacturing at : semi . org / semiismore
SEMI is the global industry association representing the electronics design and manufacturing supply chain , connecting over 2,100 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide .