Network equipment maker Ericsson has completed the transformation of the company’s existing factory in Nanjing, China, to produce 5G and 4G radio technology.
Ericsson claims the factory is one of the most advanced manufacturing facilities in the communications industry, with a modular-designed automatic assembly line for 5G radios. The radios will be ready to increase network capacity for the Chinese 5G market, which could happen this year or in early 2020.
The smart factory, which has been up and running since the second quarter, includes an upgraded automatic packing line for both 4G and 5G technologies. The 5G testing equipment has also been upgraded as well as the analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning tools.
Additionally, the cellular internet of things (IoT) technologies in the Nanjing factory allow for an automated alert system for attention to critical issues and faults. The system is implemented at 45 work stations to increase efficiency and accelerate production.
The Chinese factory is part of Ericsson’s strategy to upgrade its global supply chain and follows previous announcements of digitalizing its factory in Estonia and creating its first smart factory in the U.S.
