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Western Engineering partners with PowerCo to advance private 5G research for manufacturing
Western Engineering has launched a new research collaboration with PowerCo focused on developing scalable private 5G networking solutions for advanced manufacturing environments.
The project brings together researchers, graduate students and industry experts to explore how intelligent communications infrastructure can support smart factories, industrial automation and connected systems.
“Private 5G has significant potential to enable the next generation of smart manufacturing by providing the reliable, low-latency and scalable connectivity needed for automation, robotics and connected systems,” said Abdallah Shami, professor and Western Research Chair in the department of electrical and computer engineering at Western University.
“What makes this collaboration particularly valuable is the opportunity to develop and evaluate these technologies in a real-world industrial environment. This allows us to address practical challenges, validate our research at scale and develop solutions that can have a meaningful impact on advanced manufacturing.”
The collaboration supports the development of highly qualified personnel and creates opportunities for two-way knowledge exchange between Western researchers and industry experts. Ali Chouman, a senior PhD student in Western Engineering’s Optimized Computing and Communications (OC2) Lab, is gaining hands-on experience working on real-world industrial 5G challenges while contributing his research expertise to help solve real-world advanced manufacturing challenges.
PowerCo is contributing a real-world industrial use case through the development of its new battery cell manufacturing facility and the supporting IT infrastructure required for advanced manufacturing operations. The PowerCo IT team provides expertise in designing public and private 5G networks, Wi-Fi and cabling infrastructure, while helping researchers evaluate connectivity solutions in a large industrial environment.
"What's exciting about this collaboration is the opportunity to test ideas in a real manufacturing environment while learning alongside leading researchers and students. The insights we gain will help inform how we build the digital infrastructure needed to support advanced manufacturing," said Michael Sieger, Chief Information Technology Officer, PowerCo Canada.
As manufacturing facilities adopt more automation, robotics and connected technologies, the demands placed on communications infrastructure continue to grow. Modern industrial environments require reliable, secure and low-latency networks capable of supporting large numbers of connected devices.
Private 5G networks are emerging as a promising solution for these environments, with potential applications in industrial IoT, autonomous systems and AI-enabled manufacturing operations.
Led by researchers in Western Engineering’s Optimized Computing and Communications (OC2) Lab, the project will use a real end-to-end 5G network testbed to evaluate network architectures and deployment strategies. Researchers will assess performance metrics related to connectivity stability, scalability, latency and throughput requirements.
The project will also explore how artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches can help optimize network performance and automate aspects of network management.
The collaboration reflects Western Engineering’s commitment to applied research partnerships that connect academic expertise with real-world industry challenges while supporting innovation in Canada’s advanced manufacturing sector.
The project will also provide graduate students with hands-on experience in 5G communications, AI-enabled systems and smart manufacturing technologies. Beyond the research itself, the partnership creates valuable learning opportunities for students while helping PowerCo explore innovative solutions for future industrial connectivity, including through a Western University co-op student currently supporting the company's IT infrastructure projects.
“With PowerCo establishing its manufacturing operations in the London region, this partnership also creates opportunities to develop local expertise, train highly qualified talent and contribute to the growth of advanced manufacturing in our community and across Canada,” said Shami.
As industries continue integrating automation and connected technologies into their operations, collaborations between academia and industry will play an important role in developing the infrastructure needed to support the next generation of advanced manufacturing systems.
Photo submitted by PowerCo.
From L-to-R: Salman Syed (Senior Analyst, IT Infrastructure at PowerCo), Javier Guerrero (Manager IT Applications at PowerCo), Ali Chouman (PhD candidate in Sotfware Engineering at Western), Abdallah Shami (Professor and Chair of the department of electrical and computer engineering at Western), Ken Coley (Western Engneering Dean), Michael Sieger (Chief Information Officer - CIO at PowerCo), Lars Rehmann (Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at Western Engineering), Syed Awais (Lead Analyst, IT Infrastructure at PowerCo), Shirley Liu (Electrical Engineering student on co-op at PowerCo, IT Infrastructure), Paul Cardoso (Partnership Development Manager at Western Research)
