Vodafone Portugal has partnered with Ericsson to launch 5G standalone (SA) use cases in industrial contexts, including the deployment of a private 5G network in a cement factory.

The two companies have joined forces to build and deploy a private SA 5G network for cement manufacturer Cimpor in Alhandra, Portugal. They said the deployment marks the first private SA 5G network in the country.

As part of its digitalization efforts, Cimpor uses the network to improve its operational efficiency and enable automation technologies throughout its production process.

Use cases include machine health monitoring using IoT sensors, indoor drones for safety inspections, and smart glasses for a hands-free control system using AI-powered voice recognition .

The network also includes the use of wireless HD cameras throughout the facility to monitor operations and proactively detect equipment failures. Additionally, the network allows Cimpor to create a digital twin of its facilities.

Ericsson said Cimpor can start small and expand network capabilities as needed.

The network uses Ericsson’s core RAN and multi-operator network offerings for the project. These elements allow Vodafone and Cimpor to share radio network infrastructure while ensuring optimized radio resources and network performance for its industrial use cases.

Over the coming months, two similar systems will be installed at several sites at the Cimpor factory.