Barry Kennedy, Michael Cassidy, IMR, with Sheila Kavanagh and Sinead Bryan, Vodafone Business Ireland

Vodafone to bring multi-access edge computing to manufacturing research

IMR agreement will create Ireland’s first standalone 5G mobile private network
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Barry Kennedy, Michael Cassidy, IMR, with Sheila Kavanagh and Sinead Bryan, Vodafone Business Ireland

10 March 2022

Vodafone has entered a two-year partnership agreement with the Irish Manufacturing Research Centre (IMR) to add a multi-access edge computing (MEC) environment to deliver secure connectivity and powerful computing in real-time from the edge of the network – in places that previously couldn’t be connected.

Some of the benefits of MEC, which is part of a 5G mobile private network, speeds up application performance, it also allows for decision making in milliseconds as data can be captured locally without crossing the network. This means no time lost in transferring data, with sensors and devices acting in milliseconds.

Additionally, Vodafone will provide IMR with IoT and augmented reality software tools, through a partnership with PTC Thingworx using their complete, end-to-end technology platform. This will allow IMR’s clients to carry out trials and innovate for Industry 4.0 applications, smart processes, improving KPIs and assisting data driven business models.

The two-year membership agreement will see the organisations work closely together to test and develop new applications based on 5G communications and Edge computing.

Since installing the Vodafone 5G mobile private network last year, IMR has been developing smart manufacturing use cases to a range of key manufacturing businesses.

Managing director of Vodafone Business in Ireland Sinead Bryan said: “We’re really excited to grow our partnership with IMR, and in doing so, enable the next wave of smart manufacturing advancements in Ireland. By building on the power of our 5G mobile private networks, we are now able to layer on additional services such as EDGE computing to bring more and more use cases of innovative emerging technologies on stream within the Irish manufacturing industry.”

IMR chief technology officer Micheál Cassidy said: “IMR are delighted to extend the 5G testbed capabilities available to Irish manufacturing industry through this partnership with Vodafone. These technologies enable exciting new ways to connect factory systems, bringing the power of the cloud onto the factory floor.

“IMR’s advanced manufacturing pilot factory in Mullingar supports industry in understanding and adopting technologies that deliver the Industry4.0 factory of the future. Through this partnership, IMR will support our network of companies to understand and deploy 5G enabled technologies and applications in a cost effective and impactful way.”

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