Whenever Industrie 4.0 is mentioned, the general assumption is that processing and evaluating large volumes of data are part of the equation. Although modern sensor systems can already collect extensive data within machines and equipment, in the majority of the cases, the analysis needed in order to optimize production is still decentralized and takes place delayed. The switch to flexible, adaptive manufacturing processes therefore calls for fast, reliable and often wireless data transfer. The emerging 5G wireless standard is ideal for use in the production environment. The Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen and Ericsson, the Swedish wireless communications technology supplier plan to join forces to develop application scenarios for production and to test them in a real production environment.
With its ultra low latency of under one millisecond, high data rates and the capability to run a multitude of devices simultaneously in a cell, 5G technology is particularly suitable for deployment in networked, adaptive production facilities with extensive measuring and control engineering. The reason for this is that running high-precision machine tools in complex production processes demands extremely high standards of communications, which must be stable and reliable. 5G technology will, for the first time, permit extensive use of wireless sensor connections for real time data analysis, ensuring adaptive control of production processes with short reaction times.
Ericsson has taken a leading role in developing the 5G standard as well as 5G products. The first 5G New Radio (NR) specification was approved by the 5G Consortium which includes Ericsson at the “3GPP Plenary Meeting” held in December 2017 in Lisbon. In the “5G for Europe” Program, Ericsson will focus on 5G -research and innovation projects with partners from industry and science.
At the Fraunhofer IPT 5G will be tested and developed further specifically for use in production. As part of the remit of the High Performance Center for “Networked Adaptive Production”, the engineers in Aachen are planning extensive deployment of 5G technology for a diverse range of fields of application in which machines, production and communications systems as well as data bases are all interconnected.
