Siemens has developed a private 5G infrastructure allowing firms to build their own local 5G networks to support industrial automation. It is designed to support mobile robots, autonomous logistics and driverless industrial transport.

Other scenarios for industrial 5G wireless technology include the integrated use of connected tablets, VR glasses, and smart tools. Edge devices can be used flexibly such as in in brownfield applications where it’s difficult to lay cables.

Siemens has developed its 5G infrastructure specifically for industrial customers and industrial applications. It consists of a 5G core and a radio access network (RAN). The RAN includes the central unit (CU), the distributed unit (DU), and the radio units (RUs). Different 5G end-devices can connect to the 5G infrastructure and communicate in the private network. The all-in-one 5G solution is also designed for use in harsh industrial environments.

Before the market launch, Siemens tested its private 5G infrastructure in real production environments like at the Siemens production site in Karlsruhe. The private Siemens 5G infrastructure is now available in Germany, and other countries will follow.

One of the pilot customers for the complete 5G solution is the German steel group Salzgitter AG. “We don’t just want to build any 5G network, we want an industrial 5G that meets the enormous requirements of the steel industry,” said Gerd Baresch, Chief Technology Officer at Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH. “Wherever we need to wirelessly transmit data reliably and securely – from real-time camera images to safety-relevant emergency-stop signals for driverless transport systems – we need future-proof communication technology.”

“By building their own 5G networks, industrial companies are launching the next stage of connected production,” said Axel Lorenz, CEO of Process Automation at Siemens. “5G is crucial for applications like mobile robots, autonomous logistics, and driverless transport systems in factories. Siemens’ private 5G infrastructure also gives users sole control over the data in their 5G network at all times, and they can custom-configure the network for their applications.”