How 5G Will Transform the Factory Floor

Are new factory technologies replacing human workers or are they giving them extra abilities so they can focus more on what makes humans irreplaceable in plants? A look at the latest crop of technologies transforming factories suggests the answer is both—at least for now. • Some new tools, including wearable devices and sensors, are helping employees work more safely and efficiently. But others are designed to slash labor costs, such as having machines—unassisted by any human—make parts overnight or move an engine across a factory floor. • Helping drive the advances is the next generation of cellular technology known as 5G, which will enable tens of thousands of machines, robots and products to be connected to the same network at higher speeds than ever before. 5G will pave the way for a whole slate of new technologies to move beyond the drawing board and into actual use.