STRATUM 9 GmbH is launching the DECT NR+ Gateway, the first industrial-grade gateway designed for mobile real-time applications. The new radio unit enables deterministic, low-latency wireless communication for moving industrial systems and connects DECT NR+ networks to existing Ethernet infrastructure. With this gateway, STRATUM 9 is addressing applications in manufacturing, intralogistics, robotics and mechanical engineering in particular.
DECT NR+ is the first, and so far the only, non-cellular 5G technology and was developed specifically for reliable, scalable and time-critical wireless communication. Unlike conventional wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi, where end devices compete for transmission capacity, DECT NR+ is based on a schedulable access method. This creates the conditions for predictable latency and stable communication even as network load increases, which is a decisive advantage for industrial applications with real-time and mobility requirements.
“By making DECT NR+ accessible for industrial use, we are overcoming fundamental limitations of wireless communication in industrial environments,” says Alfred della Torre Jr., Co-Founder and Managing Director of STRATUM 9.
Hubert Feurstein, Co-Founder and CTO, adds: “For the first time, guaranteed deterministic real-time wireless communication in publicly available spectrum has become possible, even under the demanding conditions of highly dynamic industrial processes.”
STRATUM 9’s DECT NR+ Gateway has been specifically designed for industrial environments. It provides a single hardware platform for both the base station and mobile wireless participants, and is suitable for both time-critical and sensor-based applications, such as smart metering. Operating in the dedicated 1.9 GHz band, the solution is robust against the typical sources of interference found in industrial environments and supports mobile applications with uninterrupted handover between base stations.
Three key advantages for mobile industrial applications
Deterministic communication: The DECT NR+ Gateway uses a scheduled access method with fixed transmission time slots. This avoids collisions and keeps communication time-predictable, even in dynamic applications involving multiple participants. This is particularly important for moving units, synchronised processes and safety-related signals.
Transparent transmission of PROFINET and PROFISAFE:
The gateway is the first DECT NR+ wireless unit to combine deterministic real-time communication with transparent transmission of PROFINET and PROFISAFE for mobile applications. It transmits PROFINET/PROFISAFE without modification, protocol conversion or manipulation. Communication remains fully transparent. This makes it possible to connect moving systems wirelessly without modifying existing architectures or introducing additional protocol layers. This enables deployment within established automation structures, thereby reducing the integration effort significantly.
Seamless handover for mobile systems:
The gateway solution enables uninterrupted handovers between wireless cells during ongoing communication. This keeps the connection stable even in fast-moving or continuously mobile applications. It opens up new possibilities for mobile robots, conveyor systems and other moving industrial participants.
With these capabilities, STRATUM 9 has created a versatile infrastructure component for modern industrial communication architectures. The gateway reduces cabling requirements, increases the flexibility of moving systems and enables wireless communication wherever cables reach mechanical, economic or functional limits.
Already deployed in initial industrial applications
An initial practical example is the collaboration with component manufacturer DETO Automation and the ROFA Group, a specialist in conveyor technology, who use the wireless module for applications in intralogistics and electric monorail systems.
“With DECT NR+, we now have a communication solution that fully addresses the current requirements of industrial systems for the first time. The demand for retrofits in existing facilities is high, as is the requirement to implement them during ongoing operations without downtime. This is exactly what we can now offer our customers through the transparent PROFINET transmission developed by STRATUM 9,” says Dipl.-Ing. (BA) Martin Wolf, Managing Director of DETO Automation Germany.
STRATUM 9 GmbH | stratum9.at
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Kirsten Campbell is a Marketing Tornado and junk robot of information. Analytical and creative, she has been in marketing and communications since 2008 and worked with everyone from small businesses to your favorite household names.
Ask her about the time she made a numismatics blog interesting (yes, really) or wrote an obit for a family she never met.
An ardent admirer of corporate snark played out online, Kirsten loves Reese’s peanut butter cups and still isn't over the Mars Rover.
