Reliable connectivity, crucial for multisite manufacturing efficiency

2026-04-02 · Source: Tech Monitor · Field: Manufacturing & Industrial — Smart Manufacturing & Industry 4.0, Automation & Robotics, Manufacturing Operations & Management · Depth: Intermediate, short

Summary

Modern manufacturing operations, often spanning multiple buildings, regional hubs, and international sites, face significant challenges including inconsistent network performance, high latency, increased cyber risks, and complex IT/OT management. To address these issues and enable advanced automation, manufacturers are adopting private 5G networks to unify IT (Information Technology) and OT (Operational Technology) on a single, secure, and scalable platform. This integration supports use cases like Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), predictive maintenance, asset tracking, and connected worker applications. Ericsson proposes three deployment strategies for multisite private 5G: "Remote site with RAN only" for cost-efficiency and centralized processing, "Remote site without survivability" for balanced performance with some local processing, and "Remote site with survivability" for mission-critical sites requiring autonomous operations and high availability. Real-world examples include an automotive manufacturer connecting production sites, a steel producer integrating a new plant, and an aviation company achieving consistent cross-border connectivity.

Key takeaway

For Directors of Manufacturing or VPs of Operations managing multisite facilities, adopting private 5G is a strategic imperative to standardize operations, simplify IT/OT integration, and boost security. You should evaluate Ericsson's deployment strategies to select the optimal private 5G configuration for each site's specific connectivity and processing needs, ensuring future-proof operations for AI and automation.

Key insights

Private 5G unifies IT/OT across multisite manufacturing, enabling advanced automation and operational efficiency.

Principles

• IT/OT integration is crucial for digital transformation.
• Network solutions must adapt to site-specific needs.
• Private 5G enhances security and performance.

Method

Ericsson defines three private 5G deployment strategies: RAN-only for remote sites, remote sites without survivability for balanced local processing, and remote sites with survivability for mission-critical autonomous operations.

In practice

• Deploy private 5G for AMRs and predictive maintenance.
• Use private 5G to connect newly acquired plants.
• Implement private 5G for cross-border facility connectivity.

Topics

• Private 5G
• Multisite Manufacturing
• IT/OT Integration
• Industrial IoT
• Network Deployment Strategies

Best for: VP of Engineering/Data, Director of AI/ML, Executive, IT Professional, Operations Professional, CTO

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Tech Monitor.