In order to support the deployment of wireless communication solutions in industrial applications, laboratories will be built in four locations throughout Germany. Together, the four laboratories form the "Industrial Radio Lab Germany" (IRLG). The future factory is distinguished by shorter development cycles and increased productivity, which is enabled by fast reconfigurable production facilities. Consequently, the flexible interconnection of machines and plants gains importance, and in this context, wireless communication networks are key to support the upcoming industrial revolution. In the IRL Magdeburg multiple wireless communication technologies comprising WLAN, Bluetooth, LoRa and 5G will be evaluated with respect to their suitability for industrial applications ranging from factory automation, e.g. flexible production facilities, to process automation or condition monitoring use cases, e.g. water management plants. The results obtained and the know-how gained in the IRLG will be available to companies, especially small and medium-sized one. Furthermore, the laboratory will be accessible for external companies to enable the performance testing of new prototypes or products. By this concept, the IRLG offers an interdisciplinary support of local and regional industries and thus helps them to maintain and extend their lead.
