An increasing number of enterprises in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, are starting to embrace 5G technology and industrial internet of things (IIOT) in their transition to intelligent manufacturing.

"Youngor Group Co is expected to complete installing its 5G network by the end of this month. Furthermore, the company plans to turn its Ningbo headquarters and another major manufacturing center in Huichun, Jilin province into 5G-powered 'factories of the future' by the end of this year. We will also adopt a new intelligent manufacturing model at Youngor's factory in Ruili, Yunnan province, to be operational next year," Guo Yuejun, a senior manager of Yougor Group Co, revealed during a recent interview with local media.

Guo added that 5G technology and IIOT would enable the company to produce in a demonstrable, predictable, and adaptable manner, raising productivity by at least 25 percent.

IKD Co, a high-precision aluminum die casting product manufacturer, has launched an artificial intelligence system that can interact with and manage its seven factories, 87 workshops, and 2,300 sets of equipment. The accurate control in the cloud, made possible by 5G signals, can meet the demands of a variety of workshops. It now takes only 15 minutes for the intelligent factory to complete tasks that once required one hour of manual labor.

"The analysis of mass data and real-time transmission of videos requires a faster rate, shorter delays, and a higher capacity. 5G technology has made possible the expansion of IIOT's application scenarios," said an official from the Ningbo municipal bureau of the economy and information technology.

Ningbo authorities are pushing forward the construction of pilot intelligent manufacturing projects related to textiles, automobiles, home appliances, high-end equipment, energy, and biomedicine. It has set a goal of developing more than 30 pilot intelligent manufacturers by the end of this year.