NTT Ltd. and Schneider Electric have collaborated to deliver Private 5G (P5G) platform to advance digital solutions in manufacturing. Moreover, the partnership will build on existing innovations that help clients achieve efficiency and sustainability.

In early 2022, the P5G platform piloted at Schneider’s Lexington Smart Factory. This is the first of Schneider Electric’s U.S. plants to become a Smart Factory showcase site. Most important, the site leverages  IoT connectivity, Edge analytics, and predictive analytics to drive energy efficiency and further sustainability goals.

The P5G will power key use-cases that solve challenges around equipment availability, machine performance, and product quality. For example, the companies will integrate ‘machine vision’ capabilities (industrial cameras with specialized optics) into existing factory and warehouse automation systems, that identify faults as well as wear and tear for incident root cause in near real-time.

High Performance Factories

Through co-innovation, the solution will provide a model for operational integrity management that scales across a broad footprint of global factory environments to power Industry 4.0, enabling Network Edge platforms.

Further address on other additional P5G use-cases is necessary. They include unfettered connectivity for improved management of AGV devices across a factory footprint that yields more efficient and accurate workflow systems. Next, the machine vision application to detect anomalies in machine performance to ensure high performance, availability, and quality of product. Lastly, the augmented reality solutions that enable remote worker support for enhanced equipment maintenance and management and worker experience.

“With this strategic partnership, we are confident that NTT’s P5G solution will support Schneider Electric business and service level objectives with a powerful machine vision solution that solves for operational continuity and performance throughout the Lexington and Lincoln plant facilities,” said Shahid Ahmed, EVP New Ventures and Innovation at NTT. “Our P5G platform brings full-stack managed services, process workflow and IoT application integration capabilities that both addresses strategic objectives towards factory high performance and net zero carbon emission goals.”

“In partnering with NTT, Schneider Electric further extends its manufacturing expertise along with data center and network solutions to drive innovations for self-contained Edge Private 5G use-cases,” said Luc Rémont, Executive Vice President International Operations at Schneider Electric.

Fusion of Technologies

To further the partnership, NTT will deploy its Private 5G services and data centers with Schneider Electric technologies. This includes a prefabricated data center to integrate and test its edge offerings using EcoStruxure solutions. Moreover, the companies expect the endeavor 100 percent operative in Schneider Electric factories during the Q2 of 2022.

Schneider Electric’s prefabricated data centers help cloud and service providers scale quickly and efficiently while also meeting their sustainability goals. In addition to a 60 percent reduction in up time compared to traditional data centers, these prefabricated modular data centers are manufactured with sustainable construction methods and features that boost reliability, optimize operational energy savings, and leave a smaller environmental footprint.