The German Federal Ministry of Finance’s decision regarding the licensing costs for campus networks probably helped in the decision: Almost simultaneously with the opening of the application procedure for local applications in the frequency range 3,700 – 3,800 MHz by the Federal Network Agency, Siemens published its plans for a test of campus networks. Siemens and Qualcomm Technologies announced during the SPS in Nuremberg that they had implemented the first independent private 5G network in a real industrial environment using the 3.7 – 3.8 GHz frequency band.

New manufacturing capabilities

Siemens provides the real industrial test conditions and end devices such as Simatic controllers and IO devices, and Qualcomm supplies the 5G test network and the associated test devices. The 5G network was installed in Siemens’ automotive showroom and test center in Nuremberg, Germany. Driverless transport systems (AGV), which are mainly used in the automotive industry, will be shown here. New production possibilities and methods will be co-developed, tested and presented before they are implemented at the customer. This gives Siemens customers such as AGV manufacturers the opportunity to experience the interaction of the products live.
In the automotive showroom and test center, Siemens and Qualcomm can test the various technologies in an independent 5G network under real conditions and develop solutions for future applications in an industrial environment. “Industrial 5G opens the door to comprehensive wireless networking of production, maintenance and logistics. High data rates, ultra-reliable transmission and ultra-short latency times will enable a considerable increase in efficiency and flexibility in industrial value creation,” says Eckard Eberle, CEO of the Siemens Business Unit Process Automation.

Early testing of real conditions

“We are therefore very excited to be working with Qualcomm Technologies to drive the development and technical realization of private 5G networks in the industry. Our decades of experience in industrial communications and our industry expertise coupled with Qualcomm Technologies’ know-how pave the way for the wireless networking of the factory of the future”. Enrico Salvatori, Senior Vice President & President, Qualcomm Europe/MEA, who had already promoted more intensive cooperation in the industrial environment at several European events, confirmed: “This project provides us with important insights from the real world, which both companies can use in future applications, and is an important milestone on the path of 5G technology into industrial automation”.

“The combination of our 5G networking capabilities and Siemens’ in-depth industry expertise will help us deploy the technologies, improve solutions and work to make the intelligent industrial future a reality.“

Enrico Salvatori, Qualcomm

In Germany, the Federal Network Agency has reserved a total of 100 MHz bandwidth in the frequency range between 3.7 GHz and 3.8 GHz for local use in industrial environments. This gives companies in Germany the opportunity to rent Spektrum for an annual fee and to use it exclusively in a private 5G network within their own facilities and to ensure optimum data protection. On this basis, industrial protocols such as OPC UA and Profinet are evaluated and tested in the Siemens Automotive Showroom and Test Center combined with wireless communication via 5G.

The fact that both companies have already worked together in the past will have helped in the rapid decision of the corporations regarding the cooperation. Among other things, Siemens and Qualcomm have collaborated to develop the Siemens Scalance portfolio for industrial wireless communication.