5G eases shipbuilder's manufacturing work

Zhang Hua's work at a shipyard in Dalian, Liaoning province, has been made easier by a 5G-based device that improves efficiency.

With the device, Zhang and his colleagues, who are in charge of installing pipelines in hulls, can see 3D assembly drawings clearly displayed on an LCD screen.

"The paper drawings we used previously were full of dense lines. One could hardly understand them without years of apprenticeship," he said.

The device is part of a 5G-plus 3D outfitting visualization system developed by Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering (DACKS) and China Mobile's branch in Dalian's Lyushunkou district.

5G-plus industrial internet projects are leading DACKS, the shipbuilder Zhang works for, to upgrades in intelligent manufacturing.

Based in the Dalian Lyushun Economic Development Zone, the company has implemented several 5G-plus industrial internet projects that have improved efficiency.

Thanks to the large bandwidth and low latency of the 5G network, the system can realize real-time transmission of three-dimensional images with large amounts of data, said Tian Wei, deputy manager of DACKS' computer systems sector.

The wireless 5G network can cover the hull of large vessels, greatly improving communication between workers on site and designers in the back office, Tian said.

The company is also planning to introduce 5G technology to the monitoring of its cranes, he added.

In 2019, DACKS became a member of the 5G industry digital alliance between China Mobile and Liaoning province and was awarded a demonstration zone for Liaoning's application of 5G industrial internet.

Xue Guoliang, deputy senior manager of DACKS' detail design department, said the 5G-plus industrial projects have greatly improved management efficiency.

Based on its existing intelligent manufacturing system and 5G technology, DACKS will build a new shipbuilding model driven by data, Xue said.

China Mobile has completed five 5G macro base stations and two 5G indoor small stations at DACKS, with signals covering 1.6 million square meters－85 percent of the shipyard－said Guan Zhiwu, head of China Mobile's Lyushun branch.

China Mobile provides 5G application solutions such as new smart cities, smart medical care and smart transportation, and effectively integrates 5G with the real economy.

"Compared with 4G, 5G features much higher speed, larger capacity and lower latency," Guan said. "Its technical characteristics determine that 5G applications will be deeply integrated with real industries."

China's 5G commercialization gained momentum last year with all cities above prefecture-level having full coverage by 5G networks, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said.

In 2020, more than 600,000 5G base stations were built, the number of 5G terminal connections surpassed 200 million and 5G-plus industrial internet projects exceeded 1,100, Zhao Zhiguo, head of the ministry's information and telecommunications management department, said at a news conference on Jan 26.

Zhao said China will build more than 600,000 5G base stations this year.