Based on this, Schneider Electric, China ICT Academy and China Unicom, giving full play to and integrating their in-depth insights, advantages and rich experience in their respective fields, jointly wrote and released the white paper “5G+PLC Deep Integration Solution”. The white paper first introduces the basic principles and characteristics of the integration of 5G and PLC technology, and gives suggestions for its application and planning in industrial control systems by explaining the communication mechanism and the performance requirements of different control models for 5G networks. Secondly, the white paper focuses on describing the hierarchical networking architecture system in 5G network application and industrial manufacturing scenarios, as well as some key technologies of 5G network, clarifying its performance advantages, and providing guiding suggestions for network deployment and optimization strategies. In addition, combined with application cases, a set of implementation guidelines for 5G+PLC automation line body transformation was jointly proposed to show the advantages of the solution in improving production efficiency, reducing costs and improving resource utilization efficiency. Finally, the white paper also looks forward to the future trends and challenges of 5G+PLC integration applications, in order to promote its sustainable development in the field of industrial core control.

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As consumer needs become more customized and differentiated, industrial production needs to accommodate more diverse and small-batch production. At Schneider Electric’s plant, the 5G+ PLC-enabled flexible assembly line is more modular, meaning it takes 15 minutes to switch lines instead of seven days, reduces footprint by 50%, increases production capacity by 12%, and eliminates costs associated with rearranging lines or scrapping products. At the same time, 5G-related solutions have also been extended to Schneider Electric suppliers to connect the entire value chain, reducing material coordination time by 48%.

Yu Xiaohui, President of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, gives the introduction to this white paper. President Yu pointed out that the deep integration and integrated innovation of digital technology and manufacturing system have promoted the new industrial revolution represented by Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet. At the time when 5G+PLC has become the leader and exploration hotspot of intelligent transformation of industrial control systems, it is believed that the white paper jointly written by experts from Schneider Electric, China Unicom and China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, based on the experience of factory digital transformation, will provide an important example for the industry to carry out relevant practices and contribute to the transformation of the industrial field.

Yao Jian, deputy general manager of China Unicom Shanghai Branch and head of China Unicom Equipment Manufacturing Corps, said that China Unicom, as a “national team of digital information infrastructure operation and service, the main force of digital China smart society construction and the pioneer of digital technology integration and innovation”, strives to build a high-quality 5G network. Actively promote the in-depth development of 5G technology in converged applications, carry out a lot of technical verification in 5G enabled industrial control, and harvest many achievements. At present, the application of 5G in industrial production has shown a new situation of innovative development from “local single point” to “global production”, and from “peripheral application” to “production core”. 5G+PLC is an innovation and upgrade of the application of “5G+ Industrial Internet” and an exploration of the future manufacturing mode of industrial enterprises. The white paper jointly released by the three parties forms a standard system of the relevant experience of 5G network application in the field of industrial automation control, provides a reference method with practical value for the flexible transformation of the traditional rigid production line of industrial enterprises, and helps the high-quality development of the industry.

Industrial control is the core link of production, the deep integration of 5G+PLC will bring profound changes to the production mode and production form of the manufacturing industry, and will inject new momentum into the rapid development of the industry. “This is a successful practice of deepening and expanding 5G technology from the peripheral auxiliary link of production to the core control link, which will promote the integration of end, edge and cloud with the development of open technology, and become an important milestone in the process of industrial digitalization.” “As an active practitioner of 5G industrial applications, Schneider Electric hopes to share its successful experience with more industrial enterprises, share the dividends brought by digital technology, and move towards a more open, efficient and resilient, sustainable and people-oriented future industry,” said Pang Xingjian, senior vice president of Schneider Electric and head of Industrial automation business in China.