5G, AI transforming manufacturing

A 5G-powered sun

Nowhere is the application of this computing power more evident than at Ronma Solar Energy Group's 5G smart factory in Jinhua, Zhejiang. As a State-level high-tech enterprise focusing on monocrystalline silicon solar cells and photovoltaic modules, Ronma Solar Energy Group has become a benchmark for the deep integration of high-end equipment manufacturing and the digital economy.

Walking into the factory's massive workshop, one is greeted by a futuristic scene: hundreds of automated guided vehicles navigate autonomously without magnetic strips or QR codes, relying instead on 5G-enabled visual navigation and AI algorithms for real-time dynamic mapping.

Xiong Zhoushi, general manager of China Mobile Jinhua Branch, highlighted the unprecedented scale and stability of this digital infrastructure. "Our factory spans 580 meters in length and 100 meters in width. We have over 800 devices, including 223 AGVs, all connected via 5G. Since it began operating, there has not been a single network interruption," Xiong said.

Xiong further explained the intricate automated workflow. "Our workshop has 14 process steps. For instance, after a battery cell completes the oxidation process, it is automatically loaded onto an AGV, which then follows programmed instructions to move seamlessly to the next production stage. Everything is unmanned and automatically controlled by our software systems. Our daily production capacity for battery cells is 3.78 million pieces, and actual output has reached 3.7 million. This 97 percent capacity utilization rate is currently the highest in the country's photovoltaic industry."

The integration of AI has penetrated every facet of Ronma's operations. The factory utilizes a digital twin platform that creates a precise 1:1 mapping of the physical production line. This allows for automatic roaming and first-person AI digital human inspections, which automatically pop up equipment ledgers as they pass by machines. This transparency even allows overseas clients to remotely check their order progress, reducing overseas client reception costs by 14 percent.

He Liang, dean of the Ronma Solar Research Institute, emphasized the transformative impact of these technologies on quality control and energy management.

"We've integrated AI visual inspection to replace manual checks, effectively solving issues like missed inspections and false positives. Our accuracy rate for identifying various defect categories now exceeds 90 percent, which has significantly reduced our labor needs," said He.

"Furthermore, we've implemented an intelligent AI model for parameter tuning during high-temperature processes. This model dynamically analyzes massive amounts of data to optimize variables, lowering energy costs by 9 percent. We also use predictive maintenance algorithms to detect hotspot risks, attenuation abnormalities and electrical connection issues before they cause downtime," added He.