Abstract:
Key characteristics of a smart manufacturing environment are system automation, data storage, remote monitoring, prediction of bottlenecks, and the ability to interrupt a physical system using digital twins. Over the years, automation of smart factories has been achieved through the implementation of Tactile Internet using 3G/4G/LTE network. However, high latency, low bandwidth, limited network access, and minimal device density are some of the barriers which increase production time and in turn limit the adaptation of smart factories in time-sensitive applications. Research shows that the introduction of 5G as a network link between the physical system and cloud storage could address long-existing challenge of high latency, low bandwidth, minimal device density, and limited network access. However, there is limited research on the feasibility of this implementation and the actual results thereof. This article showcases an experimental setup to implement a 5G network link between the cloud and a water bottling plant driven by Programmable Logic Controllers, which is currently operating on a 4G network. The hypothesis is that, with the implementation of 5G, there will be a decreased production time owing to minimal latency, improved data transmission capacity, and a broader network access though cloud storage. Β© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2024.
