JLR is on a mission to ‘cut the copper’, creating more agile manufacturing to reduced time-intensive changes to production lines from weeks to seconds.
JLR is accelerating industrial connectivity at its Solihull plant with the implementation of Ericsson Private 5G. This cutting-edge networking technology is enhancing the production of Range Rover vehicles by supporting business-critical applications such as vision systems, IoT sensors and production tools.
Leveraging Ericsson’s high-speed, low-latency, and secure private 5G solution, JLR is setting new standards in modern automotive manufacturing.
The deployment of Ericsson Private 5G is a pivotal step for JLR in embracing Industry 4.0. JLR is creating a more agile and innovative manufacturing environment to support IoT devices, AI and automation with an eye toward automated guided vehicles (AGVs).
The limitations of traditional wired networks drove JLR to ‘cut the copper’ replacing those networks with Ericsson’s robust 5G capabilities, allowing for seamless and real-time data transmission. This transformation ensures that JLR’s manufacturing processes are not only connected but also agile and efficient, leading to streamlined operations.
Private 5G is driving greater workflow efficiency at JLR, with manufacturing teams already sharing positive feedback. Through enhanced connectivity, maintenance and production, managers can now turn data insights and simulations into tangible operational efficiencies with DataOps platforms such as Litmus.
Consolidating and analysing data empowers JLR decision-makers on the factory floor to quickly innovate and optimise manufacturing processes. Additionally, private 5G enables JLR to quickly swap and provision new or broken connected tools, significantly reducing downtime and enabling quicker modifications to the production line.
Fujitsu has partnered with Ericsson to deliver the connectivity of this comprehensive, end-to-end private 5G-based operations at the Solihull plant. This collaboration paves the way for JLR to explore use cases at other sites in the future.
Stephen Mason, Product Manager, Manufacturing, Global IT at JLR, said: “As a leading global luxury automotive manufacturer, it is crucial for us to equip our teams with the tools and connectivity necessary to optimise efficiency. Ericsson Private 5G provides a robust foundation for a connected, agile and data-driven manufacturing environment. This positions us to enhance automation, digitalisation, safety and sustainability across our operations.”
Manish Tiwari, Head of Enterprise 5G, Enterprise Wireless Solutions, Ericsson, said: “Private 5G is transforming manufacturing by supporting the complex connectivity needs of Industry 4.0. We are thrilled to partner with a luxury automotive leader like JLR, providing a network solution that elevates their global manufacturing capabilities.”
We asked Duncan Hawkins, VP Sales Europe, Middle East and Africa, Enterprise Wireless Solutions, Ericsson, further questions to find out more.
How does Ericsson Private 5G enhance JLR’s manufacturing operations compared to traditional wired networks?
Ericsson Private 5G enhances JLR’s manufacturing operations by addressing the growing need for increased device connectivity and the strain this demand puts on legacy networks. JLR previously relied on wired and Wi-Fi infrastructure, both of which posed limitations in scalability, flexibility and maintenance.
Traditional wired networks were costly and difficult to modify when making production line changes, while Wi-Fi struggled to support the growing number of connected devices as they look to support IOT data, AI applications and digital twins. By ‘cutting the copper’ and adopting private 5G, JLR has removed these constraints, enabling seamless, real-time data transmission with high bandwidth and ultra-low latency.
Previously, network modifications required weeks of planning and external resources, but now, adding or reconfiguring edge devices is as simple as swapping a SIM card, reducing this process to minutes.
Ericsson Private 5G provides the robust, future-ready infrastructure needed to support more connected devices than ever before, ensuring the plant remains agile, efficient and capable of integrating new automation technologies.
What specific business-critical applications at JLR’s Solihull plant are benefiting the most from the implementation of Private 5G?
Several business-critical applications at JLR’s Solihull plant are benefiting from private 5G, including vision systems, IoT sensors and production tools. The network supports real-time data transmission, enabling seamless connectivity for quality inspection, equipment monitoring and connected production tools.
Currently, JLR is leveraging the private 5G network to leverage Litmus and Dell Native Edge, and extend to other applications, to help support condition-based monitoring to support predictive maintenance, real-time alerting, energy monitoring and anomaly detection – all of which will enhance decision-making and operational efficiency as adoption expands. By collecting and standardising manufacturing data from previously unconnected or siloed endpoints, private 5G is laying the foundation for more proactive and intelligent factory management.
How does Private 5G contribute to greater efficiency in JLR’s production workflows and what feedback have manufacturing teams provided so far?
Private 5G is driving greater workflow efficiency at JLR by enhancing connectivity and enabling data-driven optimisation. With improved real-time data collection and analysis, maintenance and production managers can use DataOps platforms like Litmus to gain insights and to allow the manager to optimise manufacturing processes themselves. By consolidating data that was previously uncollected, unstandardised, or siloed, JLR decision-makers can now act more effectively on real-time insights.
Manufacturing teams have provided positive feedback on the benefits of enhanced connectivity and the ability to quickly innovate on the factory floor. The private 5G network enables more efficient maintenance operations, reduces inefficiencies in production and improves overall operational agility.
Can you elaborate on how Private 5G enables JLR to reduce downtime and make quicker modifications to the production line?
JLR has historically faced unplanned downtime due to machine failures and a lack of actionable equipment data, forcing maintenance teams to operate reactively. With new data -driven insights, they are proactive measures are maximising production uptime.
The private 5G network also allows JLR to quickly swap and provision new or broken connected tools, eliminating the need for extensive rewiring and network reconfigurations. This has significantly reduced the time required to modify production lines, allowing for faster response to operational changes and minimised disruptions.
With the success of this deployment at Solihull, are there plans to expand Ericsson Private 5G to other JLR sites, and if so, what potential benefits do you anticipate?
The success of private 5G at Solihull has set the stage for potential expansion to other JLR manufacturing sites, particularly in areas where connectivity has been historically challenging. One such area is the paint shop, a complex environment where previous network solutions provided little to no reliable connectivity.
Expanding private 5G could provide a standardised, scalable and high-performance connectivity infrastructure across multiple sites. This would enable JLR to further advance automation, real-time data analytics and predictive maintenance capabilities while improving security and operational efficiency. Additionally, private 5G enhances cybersecurity by operating on a dedicated spectrum, offering greater control and protection for sensitive manufacturing data.
By leveraging the Solihull deployment as a model, JLR can explore broader applications of private 5G across its global production network, driving innovation and efficiency across all manufacturing sites.
