Taiwanese bicycle maker microShift has deployed 5G smart production lines at its manufacturing plant. The company is the third-largest manufacturer of bicycle gear systems, serving major markets in North America, Europe, Central and South America, and Asia. The company is the first domestic manufacturer in the Taiwan Government’s 5G Dedicated Network Innovative Application Diffusion Project.

microSHIFT has manufacturing facilities in China, a research and development centre and manufacturing base in Taiwan for high-end products, and a brand and market development centre in the United States.

microSHIFT has implemented a range of applications on private 5G. These include the Manufacturing Execution System (MES), Internet of Things (IoT), Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS), and real-time equipment health prediction and diagnostics. Delivery lead time has been shortened by 15 days, order fulfilment rates have increased by 10%, material availability rates have improved by 10%, and CNC machine utilisation rates have increased by 15%.

It is expected to significantly reduce labour costs, improve equipment maintenance predictions, and simultaneously increase product profit margins and overall revenue.

The 5G-based applications have been implemented in the CNC processing area. The site is equipped with 5G equipment and two small base stations. With support from Inventec, 33 CNC and plastic injection machines have been networked, and equipment health prediction diagnostics have been implemented. Real-time data is captured and a tool wear database has been established.

An AI-based predictive module has been developed to issue warnings before tool abnormalities occur, preventing the production of defective products and reducing losses in operational efficiency. The mobile reporting system uses 5G to transmit information back, significantly reducing the time previously spent on paper-based processes and lowering error rates.

The returned information is linked with Siemens’ smart scheduling system OPCENTER, allowing for real-time, flexible adjustments to work orders and improving order fulfilment rates.

Since 2023, the Administration for Digital Industries under Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs (moda) has been collaborating with public associations to promote 5G private networks across various industries. moda supports these efforts with corresponding policies, actively promotes industry-academia collaboration, and provides funding and technical assistance. This support is designed to help industries quickly integrate 5G technology, accelerating their upgrade and transformation. Under the guidance of the Digital Industries Administration,