Finnish duo Nokia and Telia have combined with US chip-maker Intel to run a series of 5G smart factory tests using a trial 5G radio access network, operating in the 28 GHz frequency band.
The 5G smart-factory tests used a video application to monitor and analyse a process on an assembly line at a Nokia factory in Oulu, in Finland. The video application used machine learning to alert the assembly line operator of inconsistencies in the process, so they could be promptly corrected. A second trial showed data from the site could be rendered and accessed in real-time at Telia’s data centre in Helsinki, 600km away from the assembly line at the Oulu plant.
Data was collected and processed close to the assembly line by using multi-access edge computing (MEC) from Nokia and a video analytics application from Finnish start-up Finwe, and transmitted across Nokia’s 5G AirScale base stations, operating in the 28 GHz band. Data was collected at Telia’s site in Helsinki, using Nokia’s AirFrame data centre solution, equipped with Intel Xeon Scalable processors, and rendered using Intel’s 5G Mobile Trial Platform.
Nokia said it will continue to use the set-up, combining its MEC platform with Finwe’s video analytics, across a 4G LTE network at its Oulu factory, and upgrade its software to the 5G Airscale platform in due course. The 28 GHz frequency band and massive MIMO antennas deliver the low latency and bandwidth, it noted. 5G will allow industrial enterprises to connect assets and take advantage of flexibilities and capabilities such as machine learning, artificial intelligence and widespread automation to transform their operations.
Marc Rouanne, president of mobile networks at Nokia, said: “5G allows operators to leverage machine learning and automation by opening up network data and intelligence. As we continue to deliver machine learning capabilities and develop advanced algorithms we will further enhance our radio performance, allowing customers to take advantage of new business opportunities in the 5G and IoT world.”
Janne Koistinen, director of 5G at Telia Finland, said: “We are working to accelerate the fourth industrial revolution in the country. In this trial, we have shown how we can extend our service offering to new industry customers to enable efficiencies that will advance their production capabilities.”
Caroline Chan, vice president and general manager of network platforms in Intel’s 5G infrastructure division, said: “We continue to work with Nokia to deliver the infrastructure needed to pave the way to broad market adoption of open, software defined networks for 5G.”
