5G networks will change several industries, including manufacturing. 5G has the potential
to become the future communication platform of choice for many industries and in particular the
manufacturing sector, driving the future of Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing. The vision of a
“factory of the future” is now tangible for many industry sectors. The ability to cope with increased
bandwidth, latency requirements, big-data generated from more connected equipment and the data
processing required on the factory floor is a massive challenge for industry. This paper discusses how
5G can impact a manufacturing environment, the standards and technical requirements needed to
meet the demands of utilizing 5G, and the security issues that need to be addressed if planning a
5G deployment.