The ultra-rugged devices and accessories from the Pepperl+Fuchs brand ECOM Instruments enable a seamless connected worker concept, securing safety and efficiency of workers in Industry 4.0. Any device or equipment deployed in oil and gas, petrochemical and process industries, requires explosion protection. This will meet maximum safety requirements for workplaces and equipment used in explosive environments with relevant approval for the region (IECEx, ATEX, NEC) working in a professional cellular Push-to-talk (PTT) ecosystem. Smartphones, tablets in combination with smart glasses, wired or Bluetooth Radio Speaker Mic along with lone worker protection capabilities enable beneficial applications to drive mobile worker’s safety, productivity and efficiency.
ECOM Instruments is a brand of Pepperl+Fuchs and is a hardware and services specialist for use cases using mobile, intrinsically safe communication equipment for hazardous environments.
Ericsson is a leader in cellular communication and is accelerating adoption of private networks in verticals like offshore, process industries and mining with a portfolio of pre-integrated private cellular network solutions. Through their cooperation, the two global market leaders ECOM and Ericsson guarantee and accelerate the transformation towards Industry 4.0.
The business case for private cellular networks in Industry 4.0
The fifth-generation of cellular technology 5G, is often touted as a key enabler for the digital transformation of industrial sectors, notably manufacturing, with specific Industry 4.0 use cases built around ubiquitous coverage of business process operations that may span across a large geographical area. In this case, the inability of public 5G or 4G LTE (an advanced form of 4G) networks to cover all the sites of large corporations is driving private cellular networks. These also allow the secure connection of remote Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices and computing found at the edge (perimeter of a 5G coverage area) to central data centers.
Traditional wireless technologies, like Wi-Fi, often struggle to support business- and mission-critical applications. Businesses and their operations are demanding faster, more secure, and more reliable connectivity that can scale as you grow, while supporting innovative applications through open APIs. Ericsson Private 5G is Ericsson’s next generation private network product providing secure and reliable 4G and 5G connectivity through its single server dual mode core. Built for business operations, the product comes pre-integrated to ensure rapid time to use and turning on advanced and intelligent operations in any environment. Together, ECOM Instruments and Ericsson are creating a better understanding of the concept of the seamlessly connected mobile worker and improving its practical implementation. In doing so, they ensure maximum safety and efficiency of the workforce in Industry 4.0.