The technology company Siemens has opened a new test laboratory for industrial connectivity technologies at its Erlangen site. Accordingly, the Industrial Connectivity Lab offers 300sq.m of space for extensive testing of any connectivity solution in industrial environments. Among these include Industrial WLAN, 5G, real-time localization systems (RTLS), and radio frequency identification (RFID).

Siemens Technology Center on the Erlangen campus is housing the Industrial Connectivity Lab.

Axel Lorenz, CEO of Process Automation at Siemens, said the increasing convergence of OT and IT in industrial plants is creating an enormous demand for custom communication solutions.

In addition, Lorenz said, “Many users find it difficult to assess the benefits and framework conditions of wireless technologies in their own operations. The Industrial Connectivity Lab offers our customers the great advantage of being able to combine different connectivity technologies. Also, test them with us in industrial conditions.”

Moreover, the lab also serves as a training and education environment and is used for Siemens’ internal technology tests.

Industrial 5G at Core

For tests of 5G applications, Siemens has a private 5G license that covers the entire Siemens Technology Center Erlangen. Furthermore, the lab has a complete private 5G infrastructure developed by Siemens.

The test environment has Industrial WLAN. Most importantly, it allows test of a variety of scenarios for localization solutions with high accuracy through RTLS system installed on-site.

In addition, industrial identification solutions using RFID come available for users in the lab. Finally, it allows study on remote control and remote maintenance scenarios.

“At the Industrial Connectivity Lab, Siemens experts advise our customers on all established wireless technologies. (Thereafter), test them in real industrial conditions,” Lorenz says. “This enables our customers get the desired performance. At the same time, save time and costs before installation in their own facilities.”

For Siemens, industrial 5G will change the way manufacturers make decisions, manufacture products, and maintain factories. Thus, the company said it will drive further this evolution based on an industrial 5G ecosystem. This consist of a private 5G infrastructure, end devices, and real applications. Industrial 5G will become key element of flexible, efficient, IIoT-based concepts for factories and intralogistics.