An Operational 5G Edge Cloud-Controlled Robotic Cell Environment based on MQTT and OPC UA

This paper presents the design and implementation of a wireless robotic cell environment based on 5G and edge-cloud technologies. In the process, different control communication protocols and architectures concerning the MQTT and OPC UA IIoT standards are considered based on available reference implementations. The industrial-grade robotic cell is evaluated in operational conditions with a focus on the specifics of the underlying control communication effects, as well as on the impact on the industrial manufacturing use case. The experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the wireless 5G edge-cloud operation using both MQTT and OPC UA protocols, providing the required flexibility and reconfigurability, at expenses of an 8-9% increased production cycle time, as compared to the wired Ethernet reference.