Audi is testing the first 5G robot prototype for the Smart Factory. It should make the collaboration between employees and machines more secure.
The automobile manufacturer is researching the possible uses of 5G in production. The new mobile radio standard should be robust and reliable enough to be used in the production lines instead of cables when under high load. The focus of the pilot project in collaboration with Ericsson is on making human-machine interaction safer.
The Audi Production Lab tests the new technology on a robot that installs airbag modules in steering wheels. It is controlled decentrally by radio. The machine is equipped with sensors that should stop immediately when a human hand enters the radius of action and interrupts the surrounding “light curtain”. To achieve this, high-frequency (fieldbus) communication is necessary, which should be guaranteed by the low latency in 5G transmission. The time from the moment the sensor is triggered until the robot comes to a standstill is approximately one millisecond. This transmission performance is comparable to that of cable.
As part of the project launched in 2018, the Production Lab is testing how wireless 5G networks can support industrial production in the Smart Factory. The focus is particularly on latency-critical applications, such as work steps in which humans have to intervene in the robot’s processes. In addition to personal and operational safety, flexibility and connectivity in the factories are also to be improved.
