Recently, China Telecom Research Institute joined hands with Huawei in Jiangsu Etern Optoelectronics under the Etern group (Etern Optoelectronics for short) to complete an Industrial Internet pilot project based on 50G-PON. This project combines the industry’s latest 50G-PON dual-mode all-optical network technology with the China Telecom self-developed industrial PON self-service platform. In the innovative scenario of digital factories, the pilot project verified the ultra-high bandwidth, stability, reliability, and flexible access capabilities of 50G-PON in industrial Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) services.

Etern Optoelectronics is one of the top 10 enterprises with comprehensive competitiveness in the optical communication industry in China. Etern Optoelectronics takes the lead in the manufacturing of optical filters, optical components, and optical modules. The production of optical components has strict requirements on cleanliness. After components are manufactured, dust must be removed and the components must be tested. Currently, the cleanliness test is performed manually, which is prone to missing detection and cannot be tracked. To improve product quality and efficiency, Etern Optoelectronics introduces advanced AOI industrial cameras for quality audit and accumulates and trains data for subsequent automatic detection. Industrial cameras continuously obtain real-time ultra-HD images of workpieces from multiple perspectives and upload the images to dedicated background servers. The transmission rate can reach 7–8 Gbps. This requires stable and reliable transmission bandwidth of over 10 Gbps to ensure prompt image upload, posing challenges to traditional networking modes.

China Telecom Research Institute and Suzhou Telecom responded to the customer’s requirements in a timely manner and teamed up with Huawei to deploy a fiber-based 50G-PON dual-mode all-optical network as a next-generation industrial Internet network platform in an optical component processing workshop of Etern Optoelectronics. 50G-PON is the next-generation PON standard defined by ITU-T. It features ultra-high bandwidth and low latency. As an industrial Internet network platform, 50G-PON can leverage the advantages of the PON P2MP architecture and is an all-optical solution that is easy to deploy and manage, cost-effective, and energy-saving. 50G-PON dual-mode means that both 50G-PON and 10G PON access capabilities are provided in the same optical distribution network (ODN). 50G-PON provides a stable bandwidth higher than 10 Gbps for each quality detection point. One PON port supports concurrent detection access from three production lines. In real-time, industrial camera images can be transmitted to the background for review and archiving. This pilot project verifies that the 50G-PON dual-mode all-optical network can be flexibly compatible with different network technologies. In subsequent network upgrades, existing ODN resources can be reused to achieve zero re-cabling and smooth evolution. Li Xin, General Manager of Etern Optoelectronics, said that after AOI quality inspection is deployed, the management becomes faster and more convenient. The database can be used to optimize the production process, laying a solid foundation for subsequent automatic detection. The workshop management system can provide digital means to ensure production safety.

In this pilot project, China Telecom, Etern Optoelectronics, and Huawei jointly demonstrated the brand-new capabilities brought by all-optical 50G-PON to the manufacturing industry, providing a showcase for the development direction of all-optical digital factories. The convergence of all-optical 10-gigabit networks, industry applications, and industry collaboration will create new business forms, models, and industries, helping unleash new momentum in the digital economy. To meet the requirements of the Industrial Internet, China Telecom will continue to leverage its advantages in network construction and technology application, cooperate closely with industry partners, actively promote the application of 50G-PON in various industries, and contribute to the construction of new digital infrastructure.