TECHNOLOGY Steve Foxley , CEO at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre ( AMRC )
My name is Steve Foxley . I ’ m the Chief Executive at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre . I ’ ve led the AMRC since the beginning of 2020 . Prior to joining the AMRC , I was a member of the Executive Management Board of Siemens plc . During my time with Siemens , I held various senior roles in the UK , Austria and China .
The Future of 5G in Manufacturing Operations When it comes to adopting technology , Foxley emphasises that new technology often brings fresh challenges . “ For 5G , there are several challenges that through this 5G Factory of the Future programme we are looking to explore for the benefit of the UK manufacturing community .
“ The most significant challenge the AMRC is experiencing among manufacturers is demonstrating the Return on Investment ; at this point , like many new technologies , we need to build the evidence and working knowledge so that the technology can drive improvements in business performance we anticipate .”
Beyond this , he also highlights the skills gap , different deployment models , potential machine interface bottlenecks , and the shortage of 5G terminals as other key challenges to overcome in the industry .
However , AMRC ’ s 5GFoF programme aims to break down and analyse every part of the 5G deployment to overcome these challenges . “ We have already gathered a significant knowledge base and skill sets ; therefore , we can offer help to resolve problems faced by manufacturers at various levels , whether strategic decision making , deeper assistance with the technology , finding suppliers , or cost-benefit analysis ,” says Foxley .
Looking to the next 12 to 18 months , Foxley concludes : “ We are expecting to see a larger number of suppliers for the infrastructure , devices , and software services . The very nature of 5G allows the computer components to come closer and tightly coupled to the industrial processes . That means we can expect to see some market disturbances ; for example , larger software vendors will try to enter the manufacturing sector , which will drive greater competitiveness amongst the actors .”
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