flexWARE is a European funded integrated research project in co-operation with Austrian, Swedish, Italian, Serbian and German partners. The main goal was the utilisation of wireless communication technologies for high performance applications in the area of industrial manufacturing. The application field of factory automation has particularly high requirements in terms of real time capability, robustness and the reliability of wireless communication systems. Besides these requirements, the topic of IT security plays a fundamental role while the wireless channel is also known as an open transmission channel. This fact is strengthened when wireless communication technologies are to be used in highly sensitive applications (e.g. safety related applications). ifak was actively involved in the definition of an IT secure communication architecture, the integration of PROFINET IO data in the flexWARE system, the computer aided simulation of non-disruptive roaming strategies and the specification and implementation of a test system. The studies on the test system were carried out together with the project partners in the GALILEO Test Site of Saxony-Anhalt.The project was completed successfully in Serbia.
