Transforming Industry 4.0 in Thailand: ZTE and TrueBusiness Collaborate to Create a 5G Smart Factory at CPF

Jakarta, INTI - As the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry accelerates, the advancement of 5G technology presents new opportunities for optimizing production processes. One of the most significant projects in this area is the collaboration between ZTE Corporation, TrueBusiness (a subsidiary of True Corporation in Thailand), and Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) to implement a 5G smart factory using a private 5G network solution known as 5G-in-a-box at CPF's facility.

This pilot project marks a major milestone in CPF's journey toward digital transformation and is a critical step in supporting Thailand's Industry 4.0 strategy. The deployment of this advanced 5G network aims to address the challenges faced by the food manufacturing sector, where traditional Wi-Fi networks have struggled to meet the increasing demands of smart manufacturing due to issues like security, latency, coverage, and reliability.

Challenges in the Food Manufacturing Industry

The food manufacturing sector often faces challenges related to unreliable connectivity, particularly in large-scale factories that require high reliability and fast response times. Traditional Wi-Fi networks frequently experience limitations, including high latency and vulnerable security, hindering operational efficiency. This is particularly critical as more industries are moving toward greater automation and data processing at scale. Consequently, the need for more advanced network solutions is paramount to support the increasing complexity of manufacturing operations.

The 5G-in-a-Box Solution: Overcoming Traditional Network Limitations

To address these challenges, ZTE and TrueBusiness collaborated to implement the 5G-in-a-box solution at CPF’s factory. This approach delivers a private, isolated 5G network specifically designed to meet the requirements of the food manufacturing industry. The use of True's dedicated spectrum and network slicing technology ensures high-quality service with enterprise-grade security. The focus on cost-effectiveness has been a key consideration in the selection of ZTE's iMacro equipment, which is ideally suited for food production environments.

One of the primary advantages of this solution is its ability to ensure food safety. The iMacro equipment is installed externally on glass walls, minimizing contamination risks associated with water cleaning processes and maintaining strict hygiene standards that are critical in food production settings.

Advanced Technologies: ZTE’s iMacro and UniEngine

The success of the 5G-in-a-box solution at CPF's facility is largely due to the integration of iMacro and UniEngine technologies developed by ZTE. UniEngine plays a crucial role in simplifying the integration of networks while providing a low-maintenance and high-performance solution. It supports seamless network integration and delivers deterministic Service Level Agreements (SLAs), ensuring that the system remains stable and reliable under demanding conditions.

These technologies also help overcome the limitations faced by traditional Wi-Fi networks, such as unreliable connections and scalability issues. By integrating these solutions, the deployment of 5G technology at CPF’s factory becomes smoother and more efficient, driving the digitalization of the food manufacturing process.

Impact on CPF: Enhanced Efficiency and Sustainability

The implementation of the 5G-in-a-box solution at CPF’s Center of Engineering Excellence (CEE) represents a significant leap forward in the company's efforts to innovate and streamline production processes. The CEE serves as a hub where CPF’s business groups can explore new technologies, such as robotics, energy management, and automation. This initiative is designed to enhance production efficiency, reduce operational costs, and promote sustainable growth.

One of the key benefits of this 5G network is its ability to support advanced automation technologies. By providing reliable, low-latency communication between machines, humans, and control systems, the network helps optimize processes and improve production rates. Furthermore, the integration of energy management solutions ensures that CPF can meet its sustainability goals while maintaining operational efficiency.

This initiative is not only a technological upgrade but also a commitment to social and environmental responsibility, as CPF aims to minimize its carbon footprint while maximizing the output of its facilities.

Industrial Modernization with 5G: Laying the Groundwork for the Future

The introduction of 5G technology at CPF’s CEE strengthens the connection between machines, humans, and control systems within the factory. With an average latency of just 10 milliseconds, the network ensures precise data transmission with minimal delays, allowing for real-time decision-making and seamless coordination across various systems. This level of performance is critical for supporting autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), robotics, vision inspection, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications within the factory.

The 5G network also delivers downstream speeds of up to 882 Mbps, which eliminates the constraints of wired connections and enhances the efficiency of data transmission across the factory floor. Furthermore, the system ensures an equipment reliability rate of 99.99%, providing the foundation for a deterministic network that can be relied upon to support future innovations in smart manufacturing.

By integrating 5G technology, CPF is positioning itself to take full advantage of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and is setting a precedent for other manufacturers in Thailand and beyond to follow.

A Milestone for Industry 4.0: Economic and Social Implications

This pilot project between ZTE, TrueBusiness, and CPF is not only a technological breakthrough but also a significant economic and social achievement. It highlights the power of collaboration between the public and private sectors in driving industrial modernization. The successful implementation of 5G-in-a-box at CPF’s factory serves as a model for other manufacturers looking to embrace the future of manufacturing through the use of advanced technologies.

With Thailand at the forefront of this digital transformation, the project is poised to have far-reaching implications, both in terms of technological development and economic impact. As more industries in the region begin to adopt similar 5G-enabled solutions, the wider economic ecosystem will benefit from enhanced productivity, reduced costs, and the creation of new jobs in the tech and manufacturing sectors.

Moreover, the implementation of 5G will help foster greater sustainability in manufacturing processes, enabling companies to reduce waste, optimize energy use, and minimize their carbon footprint—ultimately contributing to the global movement toward a more sustainable and environmentally friendly industrial landscape.

The collaboration between ZTE, TrueBusiness, and CPF demonstrates how 5G technology can revolutionize the manufacturing industry by offering faster connectivity, greater reliability, and cost-effective solutions for smart factories. The 5G-in-a-box solution deployed at CPF’s facility is an ideal example of how technology can support Industry 4.0 and accelerate digital transformation in the manufacturing sector.

This groundbreaking project not only positions Thailand as a leader in industrial innovation but also sets the stage for wider adoption of 5G technology across industries in Southeast Asia and beyond. The success of this project will continue to drive the evolution of smart factories, automation, and sustainability in manufacturing, laying the groundwork for the future of industry and innovation.