5G Starterkit with IO-Link sensors
The 5G Starterkit with IO-Link sensors can be used to illustrate a couple of industrial production use cases.
Massive wireless sensor networks
The key objective of this use case is to collect data from the factory floor and provide this to IT systems for
further data processing. The data is used for a number of purposes:
•Collection of KPIs in order to improve operational efficiency.
•Collection of process data for product level production quality traceability.
•Predictive maintenance.
•And more ...
The starterkit does not come with an IT system. Instead data from the sensors are transmitted through the
cellular network to a dashboard on a tablet.
It is envisioned that as the 5G technology matures the 5G interface will eventually be integrated directly into
the sensors.
Please see 3GPP TR 22.804 for a full description of this use cases.
Mobile Worker
The mobile worker use case is key part of the digitalization of the factory. In this demo the mobile worker
will be provided sensor data through a dashboard on a tablet. In a real factory setting the mobile worker
would be able to use the tablet for several different tasks:
•Monitoring of processes and production flows
•Step-by-step instructions for specific tasks, for example in manual assembly workplaces
•Ad-hoc support from a remote expert, for example for maintenance or service tasks
As described in 3GPP TR 22.804 use case "Augmented Reality" head-mounted AR devices could also be a
suitable device for the mobile worker.
Closed-loop Process Control
With closed loop process control a PLC or controller receives information about the state of a process from
a number of sensors. Based on the information received from the sensors it calculates new data to be sent
to the actuators of the process. This cycle is repeated continuously.
This use case is supported as an extension to the demo and is described below PLC Integration.
