MxD to de-risk and encourage adoption of 5G technology for manufacturers
MxD has released an initial set of Requests for Quotation (RFQs) to strengthen the deployment of 5G cellular technology in manufacturing facilities. Additional RFQs are planned to be released through early 2023 for a total of eight projects funded by previously announced congressional appropriations.
By investigating and testing 5G cellular architecture, 5G cybersecurity, and industrial internet of things (IIoT) applications of 5G wireless technology, MxD and its partners will de-risk and demystify 5G to enable US manufacturers to deploy related technologies efficiently and securely within their operations, they say.
“5G systems overcome many of the limitations of previous wireless technologies, like Wi-Fi and 4G, for industrial settings, but significant barriers to adoption remain,” said Berardino Baratta, CEO of MxD. “Testing, documenting best practices, and securing 5G networks within our own factory floor will answer many basic questions for manufacturers looking to implement these technologies.”
Three RFQs are available on the MxD website with a due date of October 13, 2022:
- 5G System Configuration Research for Industrial Building Application (21-18-01) will determine an optimal configuration of 5G, in a neutral and objective manner, for use in industrial buildings (specifically for IIoT and digital applications) and make this information publicly available for broad industry use including the Department of Defense (DoD).
- Wired to Wireless Change Management Guide (21-18-02) will generate a guidebook that contains detailed steps on how manufacturers can implement wireless network architecture in their industrial facilities. Extra emphasis will be given towards helping existing manufacturers determine the viability and develop the know-how to take the existing wired architecture within their industrial facilities and transition to selected configurations of 5G, in a neutral and objective manner.
- Cybersecurity Reference Architecture Development (21-18-03) will generate documentation on cybersecurity within 5G networks. Such cybersecurity systems will then be implemented within the MxD 5G testbed and facilities to demonstrate their usage in a 5G connected industrial architecture. Documentation on cybersecurity systems for 5G architectures will be made publicly accessible such that the information may be utilized by manufacturers.
Funding for the portfolio of 5G cellular technology projects comes from the US Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL). CERL’s mission is to discover, develop, deliver, and sustain technologies that provide high-quality facilities and realistic training lands to the Army, the Department of Defense, and the Nation while also supporting ERDC’s strategic research and development focus areas of multi-domain operations, smart and resilient installations, advanced materials engineering, robotics and autonomous systems capabilities, military engineering, and civil works.
More information about the projects and instructions on how to submit quotes are available at www.mxdusa.org/projects/5g-rfq-21-18/. Questions can be directed to [email protected]
