Turkish consumer electronics manufacturer Arçelik Global has picked Nokia and Türk Telekom to deploy the first private wireless network in Turkey.

The industrial-grade 5G-ready private wireless network will be deployed at Arçelik’s Çayırova-based washing machine manufacturing facility. The Nokia 5G-ready network will provide the platform for Arcelik to accelerate its digital transformation and implementation of Industry 4.0 use cases.

Utku Barış Pazar, Chief Strategy and Digital Officer, Arçelik, said: “At Arçelik, we are committed to integrating new technologies into our business model and this deployment positions Arçelik at the forefront of manufacturing digitalisation.”

An initial application will see the network deliver low-latency coverage throughout the facility to enhance automated guided vehicle (AGV) performance. With AGVs used throughout the manufacturing process for component logistics, improved connectivity will enhance AGV speed, control and operational efficiency. Nokia and Arcelik plan further collaboration in order to develop and implement additional use cases in the mid-term.

The network will support high-accuracy indoor positioning for real-time asset location tracking as well as enabling new video analytics-based applications for site safety and security. Further potential use cases include augmented and virtual reality, digital twins, inventory control, safety and facility management, quality control, high-resolution video for remote inspection, and facility-wide voice and video communication.

Utku Barış Pazar said: “We have identified more than 30 further use cases where this future-proofed 5G-ready private wireless network can help drive productivity, boost efficiency and enhance safety. We look forward to partnering with Nokia and Türk Telekom to establish private wireless as an integral part of our Digital Manufacturing Systems strategy.”

Under the agreement, Nokia will also provide solution design, deployment and on-going managed services. Turk Telekom will provide 4.9G/LTE spectrum and also will be responsible for project end-to-end management and governance model. Nokia will deliver industrial-grade private wireless infrastructure based on the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) platform. Nokia DAC is a digitalisation platform providing high-bandwidth, low-latency, private networking. It also incorporates local edge computing capabilities, voice and video services and a catalogue of digital-enabler applications.

Raghav Sahgal, President, Nokia Cloud and Network Services, said: “Arçelik has a highly progressive approach to introducing latest innovations into its manufacturing practices and workflows. Deployment of the first private 5G-ready network in Turkey for Arçelik is a major step forward in both its approach to manufacturing digitalisation, and as an inspiring example of innovation in the region.”

Mustafa Eser, Corporate Sales Deputy General Manager, Türk Telekom said: “Türk Telekom’s role in the implementation of the first private wireless network in Turkey is an important milestone. Arçelik’s top competencies in manufacturing digitalisation, Türk Telekom’s leadership in connectivity and network technologies, and Nokia’s international experience came together to form the new generation ‘Smart Factory’ project. This project will be one of the indicators of Turkey’s digitalisation in the field of manufacturing. It will host the most advanced applications of Industry 4.0, bringing efficiency, flexibility, quality and productivity to high levels.”

“As Türk Telekom, we implemented Turkey’s first Industry 4.0 Mobile Network trial with the ‘Smart Factory’ trial, which we conducted together with Nokia in April 2019. Our aim was to bring smart factory applications into real life, where the low latency, high bandwidth, high data transmission rate and reliability capabilities provided by the mobile network are used with the aim of minimising errors, increasing productivity and efficiency in critical industrial applications. Today, we are witnessing a very important moment when this goal is realised. As the leader of Turkey’s digital transformation, we are very happy to contribute to the digitalisation of manufacturing at Arçelik, the leading company in its sector, with a new generation network compatible with 5G,” said Eser.

Nokia DAC comprises network and user equipment, a cloud-based operation monitoring system and industrial connectors to simplify standard and industry-specific protocol connectivity. It also features new device management capability that integrates ruggedised handhelds and other wireless devices. Nokia has more than 290 large enterprise customers across industries worldwide, of which over 40 incorporate 5G.