Higher-level control systems are already connecting machines and handling systems at the Rottal plant in Haiger to form a communication network in accordance with Industry 4.0 standards (Photo: Rittal)

Rittal was one of the first industrial companies to receive the 5G frequency allocation. Before the end of this year, a private 5G mobile network is to be installed in the new plant in Haiger. The first pilot projects, for example in production monitoring and analysis, have already been defined.

The company wants to install and commission the 5G mobile network in Haiger in a real production environment as quickly as possible, according to its own statement. The company is still waiting for the hardware required for this: “As soon as the manufacturers of 5G technology make the appropriate devices available, we can take the next steps. We expect the installation of the technology for the first test runs to be completed by the end of 2020,” explains Andreas Huck, Managing Director Controlling, Accounting, HR and IT at Rittal. After the first test runs, the 5G technology can then be integrated into production-critical and control-relevant tasks, as Carsten Röttchen, Technical Director of Rittal, explains. The new radio technology is to be used, for example, for the video-based comparison of quantities with stored order data and for the step-by-step implementation of analytics for preventive maintenance.