5G-SMART – a research collaboration for 5G in manufacturing
The manufacturing sector is entering a period of disruptive change and digital transformation towards Industry 4.0. 5G will be a key enabler for making the vision of highly efficient, connected and flexible factories reality. In the 5G-SMART research collaboration project, Ericsson and industry partners run three industrial field trials to validate and demonstrate how 5G can improve manufacturing. All three trials are 5G-ACIA endorsed testbeds.
5G-SMART research goals
In the 5G-SMART project, Ericsson together with partners unlocked the value of 5G for manufacturing through demonstrating, validating and evaluating its potential in real manufacturing environments. 5G-SMART tested the most advanced 5G integrated manufacturing applications such as remote-controlled industrial robotics, wireless process monitoring, and mobile robotics. The tests were done by bringing 5G deployments into real manufacturing setups: at an Ericsson factory in Kista, Sweden, at the machine hall of the Fraunhofer Institute of Production Technology (IPT) in Aachen, Germany, and at a Bosch semiconductor factory in Reutlingen, Germany. On site, 5G-SMART has performed an evaluation of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), channel measurements and co-existence testing between public and private industrial networks.
5G-SMART also went beyond trials and developed new 5G features targeting the needs of the manufacturing industry. Examples include integration of 5G with time-sensitive networking, and critical cloud platforms that enable flexible software development while providing low latency and high reliability. To further accelerate the uptake of 5G in the manufacturing ecosystem, 5G-SMART explored new business models, identifying the potential for factory owners, Operational Technology suppliers and mobile service providers.
Deliverables
More 5G-SMART deliverables
D7.4 - Final project report (pdf)
D1.5 - Evaluation of network deployment options (pdf)
D2.3 - Validation of 5g capabilities for industrial robotics (pdf)
Industrial field trials
5G-SMART established three trial sites for the research - Kista, Aachen and Reutlingen.
The trial sites of 5G-SMART are 5G ACIA endorsed testbeds.
5G-SMART Trial open day Kista, May 10, 2022
Watch the recording of the event
The May 10 event featured two keynotes and presentations of the project results and all three trials.
Keynote – “Towards Autonomous Robots – Role of Wireless Communication”, Xiaolong Feng, PhD, Docent, Business Area Research Manager, ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation
5G integration and enhancement for smart manufacturing
Berna Sayrac, Orange; Dhruvin Patel, Ericsson
Keynote – “5G in industries – today and tomorrow”,
Mikael Prytz, PhD, Research Director, Research Area Networks, Ericsson
Overview of the trials and discussions, Ognjen Dobrijevic, ABB; Niels König, Fraunhofer IPT; Davit Harutyunyan, Bosch.
