Rohde & Schwarz Creates 5G Test Network to Explore Industry 4.0 Solutions
Rohde & Schwarz has installed a 5G campus network to leverage the possibilities and advantages of Industry 4.0 at its plant in Teisnach, Germany. The industrial-grade private 5G network infrastructure is based on Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC). Both companies will participate in the testing of the 5G campus network using Rohde & Schwarz network testing equipment to optimize its operation and performance. Gaining experience and valuable insights into private 5G network operation in its own plant, and how to optimize deployment, was a major driver behind this project for Rohde & Schwarz.
The capacity, reactivity, and flexibility of 5G enables various real-time use cases, including private wireless networks for smart factories. With 5G use cases creating demanding requirements for coverage, latency, and reliability, deployment can pose challenges for network planners and operators. As Rohde & Schwarz provides a wide portfolio of wireless network testing solutions addressing Industry 4.0 use cases, it has initiated its own campus network, in preparation for the development of smart factories. This allows Rohde & Schwarz to optimize production processes and to validate its own network testing solutions first hand.
The set-up encompasses 5G gNodeBs in NSA mode using the frequency band n78, supplemented by LTE as the anchor in frequency band 40. The indoor network covers an area of about 1,500 m2. Both companies are using solutions from the Rohde & Schwarz mobile network testing portfolio for site acceptance and coverage testing with the aim of ensuring high performance network quality. The equipment in use includes the R&S FPH handheld spectrum analyzer, the R&S TSMx6 scanning receiver, the QualiPoc Android smartphone-based network optimizer and the R&S 5G STS site testing solution.
To support highly reliable wireless connectivity in a smart factory, it is crucial to cover the following test phases: rollout preparation and spectrum clearance for a clean RF environment inside the factory and acceptance testing for correctly installed network infrastructure, as well as coverage and performance testing. For further information on test solutions from Rohde & Schwarz for smart factories, go to: https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/mnt/smart-factory