Information has become the most important raw material for the international manufacturing industry. The ability to handle large volumes of data has therefore become increasingly important. In this context, interest in TSN has also grown considerably. This technology, which was originally developed by the IEEE 802.1 working group for professional audio-visual systems, has the potential to overcome the limitations of traditional industrial Ethernet networks that have hindered their penetration into industrial sectors such as automotive and manufacturing.

Specifically, the open technical standards of the IEEE 802.1 series serve to establish determinism and convergence of IT and OT. In this way, a single industrial Ethernet can manage both cyclical and transient data while ensuring the successful delivery of time-critical data. Innovative TSN networks are specifically designed to efficiently organize data traffic and prevent delays.

Work on TSN technology and its guidelines is not yet complete. While standards such as IEEE 802.1Qbv - "Enhancements for Scheduled Traffic" have already been ratified and published, others are still under development or revision, such as IEEE 802.1AS-Rev - "Timing and Synchronization for Time-Sensitive Applications".

Significance for network technology and automation technology
Even though the IEEE solution aims for universal connectivity and compatibility, companies implementing their first TSN products now may use different standards, which may in fact lead to incompatibilities between devices. At this early stage, end users would do well to choose their TSN products carefully, for example those based on the currently recognized IEEE 802.1 standards. To avoid future problems, the IEC/IEEE 60802 working group is currently working on the standardization of TSN for industrial automation.

The CLPA has decided to adopt the recognized standard IEEE 802.1AS, the basis for time-critical communication, and IEEE 802.1Qbv for the latest CC-Link IE TSN network technology.

Our forecast is that, as the market develops, we will see the consolidation and introduction of TSN in a large number of existing applications and the increasing use of open technologies for a broader range of solutions. This is supported by the announcement at SPS/IPC/Drives 2018 regarding OPC UA with TSN down to field level and the support of this plan by all relevant automation providers.

However, this will not remain the only trend in industrial communication. While TSN provides the tools for organizing traffic and prioritizing time-critical information, sufficient bandwidth will continue to be critical to support the ever-increasing amounts of cyclic and transient data that can be managed on the same network over the long term, with gigabit capacity, as supported by CC-Link IE TSN, becoming increasingly important. as