Enhancing Logistics and Transportation Management with Private 5G Networks

The global nature of modern trade exerts immense pressure on logistics and transportation industries. More goods than ever before must move from production via air, land, and sea to central distribution centers and, ultimately, to businesses and consumers. This presents substantial challenges for logistics and transportation companies, which must track, organize, and manage goods as they move through large facilities and complex warehouses.

But the introduction of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices into these environments can make it easier to move product.

By deploying networked devices such as sensors, cameras, and remotely controlled drones throughout a warehouse, airport, railyard, and shipyard, logistics and transportation operations can:

Enhance operational efficiency

Improve personnel safety

Simplify the tracking and management of goods

But networked IoT devices need continuous connectivity to deliver value. While operators can deploy a mix of networking technologies to provide the coverage and connectivity they need, private, wireless 5G networks are proving to be more viable. An efficiently designed 5G network offers the most cost-efficient way for transportation and logistics companies to optimize operations by leveraging a variety of IoT technologies.

IoT Devices Optimize Monitoring and Management, Increase Security

With IoT devices, logistics and transportation companies can significantly enhance operations, process, and move goods faster, and improve their bottom line.

For example, tracking and tracing of goods can be improved by deploying networked sensors and cameras throughout a facility and in containers and vehicles carrying the goods. This tracking enables partial or full automation and management of the movement and placement of goods anywhere.

The integration of connected autonomous vehicles that move goods and large containers independently can greatly increase efficiency. This integration diminishes the necessity for human involvement in routine processes and lowers the likelihood of errors.

To improve safety, operators can introduce wearable devices for all personnel and sensors that track the movement of autonomous vehicles. By monitoring the location of people and autonomous equipment, accidents can be avoided or responded to as quickly as possible.

The tracking of goods moving within and through facilities can also be improved using networked drones. These drones are capable of actively surveilling various areas on demand and instantly transmitting video feeds to control centers.

In emergency situations such as fires, accidents, or injuries, the same drones can precisely identify the incident’s location and deliver real-time video feeds to first responders, enabling swift and effective emergency responses.

The use of tracking devices and cameras throughout a facility can also enhance physical security. Real-time monitoring makes it easier to identify and respond to thefts or break-ins quickly, minimizing the associated losses.

Logistics and Transportation Present Challenging IoT Deployment Environments

But there are substantial challenges involved in deploying IoT devices effectively in the hectic and dynamic environments logistics and transportation companies operate.

IoT devices, drones, and cameras are all bandwidth-intensive machines that place significant data demands on networks. For the real-time tracking essential to IoT efficiency, these high-bandwidth devices demand highly reliable networks that maintain consistent coverage across a facility. Transmitting the substantial data generated by these devices requires networks with substantial throughput capacity to handle simultaneous data from multiple devices.

Wired, Wi-Fi, and LTE Networks Lack Key Enablers

To tackle these challenges, logistics and transportation companies can deploy a variety of network technologies.

Wired networks have historically been the first choice for many enterprises across most verticals, including logistics and transportation. They offer a tried and proven option and provide reliable and powerful connections.

However, wired networks are fixed once installed, requiring expensive rip-and-replace processes to adjust network coverage for even minor changes in operations. And many of today’s wireless network technologies can now compete or exceed the bandwidth and reliability of wired networks, while also providing significant flexibility.

While Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi 6/6E might suffice for security in homes and offices, they lack the enterprise-grade security essential for logistics and transportation networks. Guaranteeing the integrity of sensitive operational data and safeguarding sprawling distribution yards and warehouses requires heightened security and reliability. Compromised cameras or security drones in these areas can jeopardize safety and lead to the loss of goods.

And while LTE networks boast enterprise-grade security and remarkable flexibility, they lack the blend of extremely high bandwidth, throughput, and low latency essential for real-time monitoring and management of numerous connected IoT devices.

Private Wireless 5G Networks Can Optimize Operations

Given the nature of logistics and transportation operations, private wireless 5G networks are the ideal choice for any IoT deployment requirement.

The next generation of wireless technology offers orders of magnitude greater performance over LTE. It provides the substantial bandwidth and critical low latency needed to enable huge data throughput from all connected devices. Built-in enterprise-grade security guarantees that data and operations are protected. And highly flexible deployment options enable network designers to cover the full complexity of their operating environment.

iBwave Supports Cost-Effective Private Wireless 5G Deployment

Effective network design is crucial to efficient network deployment in any logistics and transportation environment. Network designers must be able to effectively model the full range of possible sources of interference to get an accurate picture of projected network strength throughout a facility. Designers need advanced and comprehensive survey and design tools to do this and accurately design coverage in complex environments. Without those tools, there’s a significant risk of either overdesigning or under designing the network, which can lead to unnecessary costs or unreliable networks.

iBwave Private Networks LTE/5G delivers the simplest and most reliable solution for planning, designing, and delivering private, high-performance networks for transportation and logistics operations.

Large environment modeling enables network designers to capture the full picture of a site. 5G/HetNet densification enables designers to consider both outdoor and indoor coverage with one tool, leveraging existing design asset files without costly file migrations. Advanced and powerful features guarantee the precise functionality of the designed network. These features include the Fast Ray Tracing Prediction Engine, Prediction Calibration, Inclined Surface Modeling, Attenuation by Frequency, and more. Additionally, cloud connectivity and seamless integration with iBwave Mobile Survey ensure that iBwave can effectively address both current and future private network requirements for transportation and logistics operations.

Improving Energy and Utilities Operations and Management with Private 5G Utilities and Energy Wireless Networks

Operations in the energy and utilities sector must monitor and manage sensors and equipment across large geographic areas. This tracking makes these operations a prime candidate for using Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices that enable remote monitoring and management.

With IIoT devices, energy companies and public utilities can:

Improve operational efficiency

Enhance flexibility and responsiveness

Reduce costs

Secure operations, both physically and digitally

But IIoT devices generate large amounts of data that must be accessible by field technicians and central operations teams in real time to be of use in energy wireless networks. Therefore, reliable and consistent network connectivity is needed to deliver critical data to all users at all times.

To date, a mix of wired, Wi-Fi, and LTE networking solutions have been deployed to provide the connectivity required. But high-bandwidth, low-latency 5G is proving to be a more optimal solution. Effective deployment of efficiently designed private wireless 5G networks will optimize the use of IIoT devices at sprawling, complex facilities and remote sites.

Coverage and Capacity Needed for IIoT in Utilities and Energy Wireless Networks

Operations in the energy and utilities sector are often either public utilities themselves or supply power to public utilities. Slowdowns, delays, and disruptions can be very costly both for the bottom line and reputation.

The remote and complex nature of most facilities makes on-site observation, management, and maintenance difficult. This difficulty is further compounded by the size of many energy operations, which can have a vast array of assets, systems, moving equipment, and personnel on-site.

IIoT devices can provide access to a continuous stream of critical operational data that can be used for efficient oversight and management of all field assets, systems, equipment, and personnel.

Energy companies and utilities can make more informed decisions about production, maintenance, and upgrades with access to real-time data from a variety of sensors at well heads, gas mains, and power grids.

They can also track personnel with cameras and wearable devices to maintain safety and security. And they can minimize the duration and impact on operations by responding to any disruption anywhere in their system more quickly and effectively.

But effective deployment of IIoT devices at any facility can be difficult. For one thing, IIoT devices demand significant bandwidth.

One of the greatest advantages of IoT — real-time monitoring — requires an extremely low-latency, comprehensively designed network with no dead zones or areas of poor connectivity.

The large and variable energy and utilities environments make deploying the optimal network complicated.

Current Network Technologies Are Not Optimal

Various network technology options, such as wired solutions, Wi-Fi, and LTE, offer IIoT connectivity. However, each option lacks critical capabilities or introduces notable complexities for energy and utilities applications.

Wired Solutions Are Inflexible and Expensive

Wired solutions were historically the default network technology, offering stability, reliability, and superior throughput compared to wireless alternatives. However, they come with high costs and technical complexities, especially in intricate settings like energy or utilities facilities.

More importantly, wired solutions lack flexibility, often demanding costly rip-and-replace efforts when network requirements evolve or operations need to scale to match market demands.

Wi-Fi Lacks Enterprise-Grade Security

Wi-Fi solutions, on the other hand, are highly flexible and easy to deploy. But Wi-Fi operates on an unsecured band. While modern Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi 6/6E offer built-in security to help circumvent this, they don’t offer the built-in, industrial-grade network and data security necessary to secure digital operations for IIoT. These capabilities are crucial in protecting networks and data traffic for a public-facing industry that’s always at risk from cyberthreats.

Private LTE Is Not Optimal for Utilities and Energy Wireless Networks

Private LTE networks offer flexibility, enterprise-grade security, decent throughput, and relatively low latency. However, they might not be the best fit for demanding and data-intensive energy and utilities environments when compared to 5G. 5G provides significantly broader coverage, higher bandwidth, and markedly lower latency — all essential elements for successful IIoT deployments.

5G Is the Most Effective Enabler of IIoT for Utilities and Energy Wireless Networks

Thanks to the enhanced coverage and capacity of 5G, utilities and energy wireless networks can effortlessly integrate bandwidth-intensive and latency-sensitive IIoT sensors, devices, systems, and applications in multiple locations.

The high flexibility of deployment options empowers private 5G utilities and energy wireless networks to effectively cover expansive and intricate environments encompassing multiple buildings, a variety of equipment, and numerous sensors.

The higher bandwidth and low latency provided by 5G can support the movement and delivery of the enormous quantities of data that’s generated at all IIoT connection points. And 5G can provide access and continuous connectivity for more sensors, devices, and users simultaneously.

All of this guarantees that energy and utilities operators can leverage all the benefits IIoT offers to enable efficient and effective management of all operations.

iBwave Enables Cost-Effective Deployment of Private Wireless 5G

A private 5G utilities and energy wireless network won’t be able to overcome the obstacles inherent to network deployment in the energy sector without a precise and comprehensive desig. Networks will either be overdesigned with unnecessarily higher costs, or under-designed and unreliable.

iBwave Private Networks delivers the simplest and most reliable solution for planning, designing, and delivering private, high-performance 5G networks.

Large environment modeling enables network designers to capture the full picture of even a large and complicated site. 5G/HetNet densification enables designers to consider both outdoor and indoor coverage with one tool, leveraging existing design asset files without costly file migrations. Advanced and powerful features like the Fast Ray Tracing Prediction Engine, Prediction Calibration, Inclined Surface Modeling, and Attenuation by Frequency guarantee the precise functionality of the designed network. Additionally, cloud connectivity and seamless integration with iBwave Mobile Survey and iBwave Reach assure that iBwave effectively caters to all private network requirements for energy operations, present and future, ensuring scalable networks.

Improving Manufacturing with Private Wireless 5G Machine-to-machine Communications and Internet of Things (IoT)

Automation is one of the most important process improvements of the modern era. It promises significant benefits for a variety of industries. One of the most clear-cut and straightforward applications of automation is in enhancing manufacturing.

Manufacturers have been looking for new and innovative ways to trim down and streamline manufacturing processes ever since Henry Ford realized that minimizing the work needed to facilitate assembly would maximize efficiency.

Networked automation built on machine-to-machine communications (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies offers the most powerful method to date.

By effectively leveraging networked machine-to-machine communications (M2M) and IoT devices, manufacturers can automate processes to:

Increase operational efficiency to produce more products

Minimize production delays and errors

Enhance personnel safety with advanced tracking and oversight

However, M2M and IoT technologies that can be used to automate manufacturing processes need robust, reliable, high-quality networks.

Low-latency, high-bandwidth 5G is proving to be a better option than traditional wired, Wi-Fi, and LTE networks. By deploying 5G private wireless networks, manufacturers can fully optimize the use of M2M and IoT devices to take advantage of the many benefits networked automation offers.

Automation Enhances Every Aspect of Manufacturing

The automotive industry provides a good example of the value of networked automation in the manufacturing sector. Current vehicle manufacturing facilities are highly sophisticated, software-enabled, and connected. By automating production processes, manufacturers have increased efficiency, reduced errors, and reduced the overhead associated with hiring and training personnel.

With machine-to-machine communications (M2M), IoT, and 5G wireless networks, automotive manufacturers can go one step further. They can introduce a variety of autonomous vehicles and equipment that can support and facilitate complex production processes.

Automated processes encompass tasks like delivering parts precisely when required within the facility. They also involve transporting partially completed items between different factory zones, and even moving defective products off the assembly line to minimize disruptions.

Autonomous vehicles are also sophisticated computers that require significant software and firmware to function at full effectiveness. Automating the installation, testing, and updating of this software occurs over-networked, always-on connections. This setup enables direct communication with the vehicles’ computers, making sure that complex software integration takes place early and with maximum efficiency.

While these process improvements boost production efficiency, they also enhance safety measures. Minimizing risks to personnel on the factory floor and reducing the need for their physical presence improves safety.

High-Quality Networks Needed

There are, however, significant challenges associated with implementing effective networked automation on a manufacturing floor.

While full automation of production can greatly enhance efficiency, it also means the entire process is more vulnerable to disruption. If the network fails at any point, even briefly, production gets delayed until network issues get resolved. And if one part of a fully automated production line is delayed, the entire chain is affected.

Similarly, autonomous vehicles and equipment on the factory floor rely on continuous connectivity to complete programmed tasks efficiently. Without those connections, they’re essentially useless. And depending on their role and the level of interaction needed with floor personnel, when these vehicles aren’t connected, they can create safety risks. Sensors can fail to alert staff in time to avoid collisions or accidents.

Finally, while automating software and firmware uploads to autonomous vehicles streamlines the ongoing maintenance and upgrade process, this is again contingent on having high-bandwidth, low-latency connections. Even brief disruptions can arrest the whole process.

Wired, LTE, and Wi-Fi Solutions Insufficient

Machine-to-machine communications (M2M) and IoT devices, essential for advancing manufacturing, produce and transmit substantial data, demanding extensive bandwidth. As a result, they require high quality, high-capacity networks. Manufacturers have tried to address the need with a combination of wired, LTE, and Wi-Fi networks. However, each of these has limitations that make them less than ideal as the foundation of a fully networked operation.

Wired connections are fast and stable but expensive to install, and once they’re installed, they’re fixed. This fixed nature makes them highly inflexible, which is a significant drawback for manufacturers that want to scale operations up or down. Manufacturers that rely on wired solutions will face expensive rip-and-replace scenarios.

Wi-Fi is a common solution for indoor network deployment and is a staple in offices and homes. But while Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi 6/6E do offer some built-in security features, they have fewer security features than LTE and 5G networks. And while network security is important in homes and offices, it’s absolutely crucial in manufacturing operations. Compromises affect operations and cause significant costs. They also expose sensitive, business-critical data to malicious actors.

Finally, LTE solutions offer both the flexibility and security that manufacturing operations need, which is why private LTE has become more common. However, while LTE offers good speed, throughput, bandwidth, and latency, it pales in comparison to the capabilities of 5G. The latest generation of wireless networking technology offers considerably greater bandwidth and vastly lower latency, two crucial elements needed for effective automation.

iBwave Enables Efficient Private Wireless 5G Deployment

Of course, networked automation, particularly in manufacturing settings, requires effective and comprehensive network design. Manufacturing floors are complex environments with numerous obstacles and sources of signal interference. Inadequately designed networks may suffer from areas of poor connectivity or even dead zones, which can significantly reduce the value of deploying automation. And the mix of indoor and outdoor environments in many manufacturing settings creates further challenges to maintaining high-quality, continuous connectivity.

Without a precise and comprehensive design, a private 5G network won’t be able to overcome the challenges of wireless network deployment in manufacturing settings. A poorly designed network will either be under-designed and fail to deliver the benefits 5G offers or overdesigned, adding unnecessary costs.

iBwave Private Networks delivers the simplest and most reliable solution for planning, designing, and deploying private, high-performance 5G networks for manufacturing settings.

Large environment modeling enables network designers to capture the full requirements of a site. 5G/HetNet densification enables designers to consider both outdoor and indoor coverage with one tool, leveraging existing design asset files without costly file migrations. Advanced and powerful features, such as the Fast Ray Tracing Prediction Engine, Prediction Calibration, Inclined Surface Modeling, and Attenuation by Frequency, ensure the network that is designed functions exactly as intended. Plus, cloud connectivity and seamless integration with iBwave Mobile Survey ensures that iBwave can meet all private network needs for any manufacturing operation, present and future, ensuring the network can scale with the operation as needed.