Four Benefits of Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) is an innovative technology that makes it easier for companies to implement future-proof Industry 4.0 applications by significantly improving existing industrial Ethernet standards. The improvements include determinism and network convergence.
The automation market can be viewed as a community of end users who specify their projects to the machine manufacturer, who then in turn looks for component suppliers who can provide products and solutions that meet the customer’s requirements. TSN can offer advantages to all market participants.
The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA)
The CLPA is an international organization founded in 2000 and is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. Over the past 20 years, the CLPA has dedicated itself to the promotion and technical development of the CC-Link family of open automation networks. The key technology of the CLPA is CC-Link IE TSN, the world’s first open Industrial Ethernet that combines gigabit bandwidth with Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN), making it the leading solution for Industry 4.0 applications. The CLPA currently has over 3,800 member companies worldwide. Its range includes more than 2,000 certifi products from over 300 manufacturers. Around 30 million devices with CLPA technology are in use worldwide.
As a reminder – what is TSN?
TSN is a technology that is located at Layer 2 (Data Link Layer) of the OSI reference model to extend the capabilities of current Ethernet networks. Specifically, this innovation is describ by the IEEE 802.1 Ethernet substandards. It is about achieving determinism and convergence of multiple data flows in a network. Two particularly important TSN substandards with regard to these capabilities are IEEE 802.1 AS and IEEE 802.1 Qbv.
IEEE 802.1 AS ensures that all components in a network Israel Phone Number List are synchroniz – a prerequisite for determinism. If a common reference time applies in the network, IEEE 802.1 Qbv defines the “Time Aware Shapers”. These define certain time windows (“slots”) that are assign to the different types of data in the network, depending on the type of information being transport. This allows different types of data flows to be transported through a network in a predictable manner, thus enabling deterministic communication. Ultimately, this method supports the convergence of several types of data traffic and thus the possibility of merging the areas of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). What does this mean for end users, machine builders and automation providers?
Simpler network/machine architectures
End users can reduce the number of networks require for their operations by combining different data streams into one network while still ensuring determinism. This option allows machine builders to save costs and pass them on to their customers because less hardware and engineering effort is require to develop, configure and install network systems. It also shortens the implementation time of automation projects.
Greater process transparency and better management
The convergence supporte by TSN facilitates the exchange Cell Phone Number Database of data between the different levels of the company and brings more process transparency to the end user. Transparency means being able to collect and analyze more data from industrial processes in order to obtain more meaningful information and contributes to a better understanding of manufacturing operations. This knowledge can then be use to improve performance, gain productivity, increase efficiency and improve quality.
Higher productivity
By supporting the creation of individual networks that carry all types of traffic, TSN makes it easier to locate and resolve faults and potential problems, reducing downtime for maintenance or repair Bulk Database and increasing overall availability, making the end user’s entire manufacturing system more productive.
Better integration of OT and IT systems
By converging various types of data, TSN enables an important convergence of OT and IT. This convergence is a necessary feature for data-driven, smart manufacturing. Sharing and evaluating meaningful information promotes innovation and collaboration across the entire company. For example, by embedding TSN functions in their products, device vendors can offer solutions with improve interoperability and make device data visible across the company via cloud connectivity.
