5G has been touted as a game-changer for future industrial applications and this week Nokia and Qualcomm, collaborating with nine other companies, are demonstrating live 5G industrial IoT use cases at Hannover Messe 2019 in Germany.  

Nokia is powering a live over-the-air 5G network at the event’s 5G Arena, as companies including Bosch Rexroth and Festo use Qualcomm mobile test devices to show off future connected factory applications like 5G-enabled emergency stop capabilities and predictive maintenance.

Nokia says the arena showcases the benefits of private wireless networks, and is the world’s first industrial 5G campus network at this scale and diversity. The Qualcomm test devices are powered by the chip maker’s Snapdragon X50 5G modem and antenna modules, RF front-end, and antenna elements.

“The smart, connected factories of the future will not only be able to make things, but make decisions too. We are very proud to support these live over-the-air demos with Nokia and European industry players to what 5G will make possible for industrial IoT,” said Enrico Salvatori, senior vice president and president, Qualcomm EMEA, Qualcomm Europe, in a statement.

Companies showcasing applications in the 5G Arena include:

Bosch demonstrating a 5G-connected mobile control panel, which supports safety features and shows one 5G control unit can address multiple machines as reliably as individual wire units could previously. Bosch is also showcasing a 5G-powered driverless transport system, ActiveShuttle, and a 3D printing system.

“5G will achieve the breakthrough of wireless communication for industry,” said Heiner Lang, SVP Business Unit Automation & Electrification Solutions, Bosch Rexroth AG, in a statement. “Machines can become leaner, cheaper and easier to maintain.”

Festo showing off predictive maintenance based on 5G-collected data sets. “Our smart IoT gateway is the way to get your information in the cloud fast,” said Bernd Kärcher, Head of Advanced Development Automation and Control at Festo. “Now with 5G connectivity, we’re demonstrating the new way of quick cloud access for your IoT data needs.”

Goetting is showcasing an automated guided vehicle (AGV) in a factory setting. “Goetting’s AGV will be wandering around outside the 5G Arena at Hannover Messe, transmitting a HD video stream over a live 5G network. Alternatively, it can be teleoperated from Goetting’s booth over the live 5G network to demonstrate the high reliability and low latency of 5G,” said Thomas Neugebauer, head of development, Goetting.

Siemens is demoing asset analytics in the cloud with different data points collected over 5G and live process data uploaded to Mindsphere.

Weidmueller is showcasing how real time data can be transferred to the cloud reliably using 5G in a factory. The company is demoing an energy monitoring solution for a laser welding application for car manufacturing in a prototype Volkswagen commercial vehicle production facility.  

 “Our IoT edge controller brings additional flexibility to the process and is complemented by the intuitive operating concept delivered by the Weidmüller industrial touch panel,” said Michael Matthesius, Executive Vice President Division Automation Products & Solutions of Weidmüller. “5G is making a significant contribution not only to the ‘internet of things’, but also is a significant driver of the ‘internet of production’.”

Zeiss is showing a use-case for automotive industry, bringing a measuring cell with in-line sensors for car assembly to demo a 5G-connected process quality control system. “Our in-line cell, consisting of various in-line sensors and software, inspects all necessary features, generates and transfers these quality data into a closed quality control loop,” said Dr. Kai-Udo Modrich, Zeiss. “With 5G connectivity, we can now boast even higher reliability and optimize manufacturing processes in a smart factory for car body construction.” 

Jochen Köckler, chairman of the Managing Board of Hannover Messe organizer Deutsche Messe AG, said the show’s aim is to spearhead new industry trends. 

“Digitalization and 5G are megatrends for both our exhibitors and visitors and together with our technology partners Nokia and Qualcomm Technologies, we provide a unique trial area,” Köckler said in a statement. “This will be the first time most visitors of Hannover Messe have ever had the chance to experience 5G in action and gain first hand insights of its many benefits.”