Coventry battery specialist uses ‘world-first’ 5G tech to speed up manufacturing process for electric vehicles
Hyperbat, one of the UK’s largest independent vehicle battery manufacturers based at Unipart Manufacturing in Coventry, is using the latest 5G-enabled technology to speed up the manufacturing process for hybrid and electric vehicle production in the UK.
Partnering with BT, Ericsson and NVIDIA, Hyperbat is set to benefit from a world first 5G Virtual Reality (VR) ‘digital twin’ solution which allows remote teams in different parts of the country to connect, collaborate, and interact using a virtual 3D engineering model.
By enabling dispersed teams across design, engineering, and manufacturing to collaborate more efficiently, the technology is set to accelerate the pace of innovation within the UK manufacturing sector.
Hyperbat alongside its partners – BT, Ericsson, Qualcomm Technology, NVIDIA, Masters of Pie and The Grid Factory – unveiled details of the solution at the NVIDIA GPU Technology Conference (GTC), demonstrating how it will reduce product cycle time between design, engineering, and manufacturing teams based in Coventry and Oxfordshire.
The solution offers a world first untethered 5G experience that will allow design and engineering teams to walk around and interact with a 3D life-size model in real time through a single self-contained device, and without the constraints of a physical connection.
Hyperbat colleagues in different locations will be able to work with a 1:1 product scale hologram of the design in-situ on the factory floor, review designs in real time, and manage workflows much more effectively.
The solution comprising high bandwidth and low latency 5G connectivity, integrated by Ericsson’s D-15 Lab in Santa Clara, California, will enable Hyperbat to deliver engineering projects at scale.
This will enable teams to improve build efficiency within its manufacturing processes while removing current complexities between product management systems, supply chain, and factory operations.
The 5G VR digital twin solution will be deployed by BT and Ericsson on a 5G mobile private network, using the world’s first 5G-enabled VR headset.
Hosein Torabmostaedi, Unipart Manufacturing digital and innovation manager, said: ‘‘Hyperbat is honoured to be working with such an incredible consortium of partners to pioneer a solution that lays the foundations for smart factory architecture and efficient, flexible and collaborative manufacturing. The solution is mainly targeted at collaborative mobile workforce with the use of 5G native headsets and seamless integration of design and manufacturing systems with the digital twin technologies.
“Hyperbat also hopes to extend the solution to the use of 5G connectivity for machines to enable configurable and flexible production lines. The solutions will be demonstrated and trialled at Hyperbat’s facility in Coventry.”
