JFE Steel and KDDI to introduce 5G to steel works starting April 2020

March 18, 2020

Real-time 4K monitoring and AI-based quality control planned

On March 17, 2020, JFE Steel and KDDI announced that they would begin implementing 5G technology at JFE Steel’s East Japan Works starting in April 2020.

As the first step, the project will install a high-definition ITV camera to monitor the production line, along with a KDDI 5G base station within the plant. The system will transmit 4K video captured by the camera via 5G, enabling real-time monitoring on 4K-compatible displays in the plant’s control room. The recorded footage will be synchronized with various operational data for analysis and trend detection.

In the second phase, the companies aim to use AI to make automated quality assessments based on the video and collected data trends. The 5G-enabled infrastructure is expected to contribute to improved process visibility, quality control, and smart factory operations.