Ford and Vodafone lead consortium to develop 5G for faster EV production

Electric vehicle manufacturing processes to be enhanced with 5G connectivity

Ford and Vodafone lead consortium to develop 5G for faster EV production

Ford and its consortium partners have received government backing for the introduction of 5G connectivity to speed up electric vehicle manufacturing.

A 5G mobile private network delivered by Vodafone Business, will be installed this year in Ford’s new electrified powertrain manufacturing facility (E:PriME).

The Vodafone Business 5G solution promises reduced delays, wider bandwidth, improved security and reliability, and faster deployment time.

By the time installation is complete in the autumn, E:PriME Dunton will have the fastest possible connectivity alongside the consortium’s second network at welding research specialists TWI, based in Cambridge.

Both sites’ connected equipment will offer real-time control, analysis and remote expert support, ensuring new manufacturing processes are shop floor-ready.

Related: Mercedes-AMG turns to electric turbocharger tech

Connected welding machines

Ford will focus on the connectivity of the welding machines in the manufacture of electric vehicles.

The batteries and electric motors within an EV require around 1,000 welds.

For a single EV product, this could generate more than a half a million pieces of data every minute.

Fast, reliable, high capacity data capture and analysis will be a significant requirement of these processes.

Connecting the data with experts, such as TWI and manufacturers, is critical if processes are to develop at the same rate as these innovative products demand.

Related: New Bosch MEMS sensor ensures uninterrupted navigation

Chris White, Ford’s 5GEM project lead, said: “Connecting today’s shop floor requires significant time and investment.

“Present technology can be the limiting factor in reconfiguring and deploying next-gen manufacturing systems.

“5G presents the opportunity to transform the speed of launch and flexibility of present manufacturing facilities, moving us towards tomorrow’s plants connected to remote expert support and artificial intelligence.”

Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said at the announcement of £65 million to nine consortia harnessing the potential of 5G: “We’re determined to harness this revolutionary technology to boost the productivity and growth of UK industries.

“We want Britain to be a world leader in 5G, and since 2017 the government has invested millions in ground-breaking testbeds and trials across the country to achieve this.”

Public grant funding is subject to the conclusion of agreements between all parties.

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