The Ericsson-built private 5G network in Germany will explore real-time applications for the metallurgical industry
Leading designer of metallurgical plants and machinery SMS Group has built a private 5G campus network, together with European telecoms provider Mugler and Ericsson to test large-scale automation and systems in real-time. The network, built at SMS’s Hilchenbach location in Siegerland, Germany, will see data rates up to 10Gbps which the company said would make real-time applications in large-scale systems become safer, more flexible in production and lower in emissions.
This industry faces immense challenges in developing new materials and reducing energy consumption and emissions. To achieve these far-reaching goals, a high degree of automation and digitalisation in a real-time capable network environment is necessary. SMS said it is now testing on an industrial scale for the first time and further developing the solutions for customers in the global metallurgical industry.
The network, based on Ericsson’s Private 5G technology, was implemented by Mugler and put into operation in four weeks. Last February, Ericsson signed an agreement with Mugler to build and operate private 5G networks across a range of industries in Germany.
Large-scale real-time applications
Mobility and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and lone worker applications are being tested. The new private 5G network location also serves as a platform for the implementation of knowledge gained as part of the funded research projects 5G-Furios of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Horizon 2020 and Zero-SWARM projects of the EU, as well as the CLOUD56 research project of the Federal Ministry for Digital and traffic.
“This partnership gives us the opportunity to take big steps forward in the digitalisation of the industry and develop new solutions by expanding the footprint of the SMS group in the steel industry and use Ericsson’s 5G technology,” said Mugler head of local networks Stefan Richter.
“We are providing the market with a sensor solution for manufacturing companies that is scalable and easy to integrate,” said SMS Digital head of technologies and partnerships Jens Petri. “It enables the transmission and processing of data via 5G connectivity to gain insights into the process, which is jointly developed and delivered at the SMS group location were tested in Hilchenbach. SMS group closes the gap between physics, sensors, OT and IT.”
5G is the first network for which companies in Germany have been able to apply for licenses since 2019 and so operate their own industrial 5G network. The German federal government has reserved 100MHz bandwidth (from 3.7GHz to 3.8GHz) for local use.
Regarding the rest of the 5G infrastructure, Siemens is responsible for providing the routers and the necessary support with its technological expertise. SMS is also collaborating with the Fraunhofer Institut, the Forschungszentrum Jülich, TH Köln and the Competence Center 5G.NRW.
Customers which are already actively involved in pilot projects or who want to set up their own Industrial 5G network at an early stage in conjunction with SMS group include the Mercedes-Benz Group in partnership with Primobius, the American steel producer Big River Steel, and the BOXBAY high-bay storage by Amova, an SMS group company.