Qualcomm Technologies and Siemens have setup a joint proof-of-concept project at the Siemens Automotive Test Center in Nuremberg, Germany, demonstrating what it claims to be the first private 5G standalone (SA) network in a real industrial environment using the 3.7-3.8GHz band, the U.S. chipmaker said in a release.
The 5G private standalone network proof-of-concept at the Siemens Automotive Test Center enables the two companies to test technologies, solve problems, and come up with solutions for the future of private wireless applications in industrial settings, according to Qualcomm.
Qualcomm Technologies set up 5G industrial test devices along with a 5G standalone test network that includes a 5G core network and 5G base station with remote radio head. Siemens provided the actual industrial setup including Simatic control systems and IO devices.
“We are excited to announce our 5G private network proof-of-concept collaboration project with Siemens. This project will provide invaluable real-world learnings that both companies can apply to future deployments and marks an important key milestone as 5G moves into industrial automation,” said Enrico Salvatori, SVP, Qualcomm Europe.“Combining our 5G connectivity capabilities with Siemens’ deep industry know-how will help us deploy technologies, refine solutions, and work to make the smart industrial future a reality.”
“Industrial 5G is the gateway to an all-encompassing, wireless network for production, maintenance, and logistics. High data rates, ultra-reliable transmission, and extremely low latencies will allow significant increases in efficiency and flexibility in industrial added value,” said Eckard Eberle, CEO of Process Automation at Siemens.
In the course of this joint research at the Siemens Automotive Test Center, currently available industrial technologies such as OPC UA and Profinet will be tested and evaluated – technologies that require a 5G private network in order to work. In Germany, private networks can use the local broadband spectrum from 3.7-3.8 GHz, which has been reserved for industrial usage in local deployments.
Earlier this week, Bosch and Qualcomm have set up shop at the Smart Production Solutions (SPS) trade fair in Nuremberg, to show industrial devices using time-sensitive networking (TSN) over a live 5G network.
The combination of TSN and 5G is a key showcase for automation and analytics in the manufacturing sector.
Bosch Rexroth, the industrial automation division of Bosch, has set up two industrial test devices from Qualcomm at SPS, running TSN synchronization over a 5G test network. The network is operating in the 3.7-3.8 GHz spectrum band, which has been earmarked for regional and local networks in Germany.
