New £500,000 digital testbed could usher 5G enabled smart factories
A new digital testbed, the result of a £500,000 collaboration between Queen's University Belfast, BT and Cisco, could provide the means to run smart factories using 5G technology.
The new platform may allow industry players a chance to collaborate and explore the benefits of 5G connectivity and stand to increase efficiency, productivity and optimise every aspect of production and manufacturing.
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The aim of the project is to increase digitalisation in factories, including the adoption of automation and robotics, to pave the way for them to compete on a global level.
The facility also reportedly allows for researchers at Queen's University to translate their research into Industry 4.0 concepts such as digital twinning, cybersecurity, digitised manufacturing and more.
“As the manufacturing sector moves towards digital technologies and supporting Industry 4.0, digital testing is vital in helping to improve performance and quality of production. 5G technology offers higher speeds, greater capacity and shorter response times to the digital environment", said Colin Higgins, the head of the Northern Ireland Tech Centre.
“This £500k investment by BT, Cisco and Queen’s is an important collaboration of academia and business and will help us to deliver our mission of driving innovation and creating solutions from R&D. This will in turn help to grow market opportunities and create a step-change in smart manufacturing.”
The project is set to build on existing research in smart factory technology which has been taking place through the University’s iAMS (intelligent autonomous manufacturing systems), Pioneering Research Programme and Project SCENIC - supported by Invest Northern Ireland's Research and Development programme.
Paul Murnaghan, the regional director for BT's enterprise in Northern Ireland hopes the testbed will provide an opportunity for UK businesses to integrate Industry 4.0 technologies into their manufacturing chains.
"As the third-largest investor in R&D in the UK, BT is committed to leading the way in creating strategic partnerships like this that will help to benefit local businesses across Northern Ireland", he added.
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Shane Heraty, Cisco's managing director said: “The smart manufacturing test centre at NITC will help organisations to trial leading-edge technology and processes that have the potential to position them at the forefront of Industry 4.0 in Northern Ireland.
“Industry 4.0 provides an opportunity to modernise and leverage the benefits of digitisation, optimising production and utilising real-time data to make smarter and faster decisions. We’re proud to be working with Queen’s and BT through our Country Digital Acceleration programme, which aims to help build a more digital and inclusive society.”
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