DAC 2021_12

29 www.drivesncontrols.com November/December 2021 COMMUNICATIONS n interconnected factories. We are seeing a growing number of extremely proactive players in the industry that are keen on adopting TSN. In particular, the Asian market is moving particularly quickly, embracing the technology and developing innovative real- world applications. Even more conservative companies, which may be more hesitant in investing in TSN now, still recognise its role in futureproofing industrial automation. Being such a revolutionary technology, TSN requires a comprehensive ecosystem for its successful implementation. Adopting the technology means applying it on a systemic level, rather than as single products. Therefore, two main requirements need to be addressed. First, it is necessary to have strong support from industrial Ethernet organisations to deliver suitable TSN- compatible network technologies. Second, it is essential to have a broad range of products that support the technology. One example of where this is happening is the CC-Link IE TSN gigabit Ethernet system which meets both of these requirements. It is the first, and the most advanced solution currently available, with many compatible products already available. An additional aspect needed for TSN to succeed is achieving interoperability. This is essential to address the need of the smart factories of the future. To overcome this issue, Moxa is taking part in several activities. As well as launching CC-Link IE TSN compatible products, we are involved in TSN testbeds and discussing with other leading automation vendors how to shape our portfolio to support customers in the most-effective way. The key to success is collaboration. By working together as a team, automation vendors, machine-builders and users can help shape TSN so that it addresses our needs. This is why organisations such as CLPA are highly beneficial, because they provide a unique forum to guide businesses towards the future of industrial automation. We are seeing increasing numbers of real- world applications of TSN, and I expect to see larger-scale implementations of the technology by next year, while mass adoption of TSN across factories should happen in the near future. Products and technologies are still being developed, but companies should embrace change now. A proactive approach is the most efficient, as it supports implementation in stages. Waiting until TSN is a mature technology is likely to be too costly and time-consuming, and could leave businesses behind. Ultimately, I think TSN will become an industry standard. As adoption grows, more uses will be discovered, ultimately making it an essential element of industrial operations. n TSN is an innovative technology defined by IEEE 802.1 standards that resides at the Layer 2 (Data Link) of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) reference model for communications. It ultimately makes Ethernet deterministic by design, thus improving data transfer accuracy and reliability. Two key pillars of TSN and its innovative deterministic capabilities are the IEEE 802.1AS: Timing and Synchronisation for Time-Sensitive Applications and IEEE 802.1Qbv: Enhancements for Scheduled Traffic sub-standards. These provide the foundation for deterministic performance. The first substandard, IEEE 802.1AS, is based on IEEE 1588: Standard for a Precision Clock Synchronisation Protocol for Networked Measurement and Control Systems . It supports the synchronisation of all devices in a network with extreme accuracy by making sure that they are operating according to a common time system. This time synchronisation is handled by a network clock master, known as a“grandmaster’”. This sends time information in the form of Ethernet packets to each node and to the Time-Aware Systemwithin the network. As a result, all devices operate in accordance with the same clock, minimising the likelihood of time drifts (jitter) that may lead to delays in data transfer. This is substantially different to what occurs in standard Ethernet networks, where each device has its own internal clock and the accumulation of time errors can lead to unwanted jitter. IEEE 802.1Qbv leverages the synchronised environment created by IEEE 802.1AS to set up effective traffic-scheduling systems. This sub-standard provides network switches with so-called time-aware shapers (TASs) to transport time-critical data such as motion and control information. Prioritisation of urgent and regular data is therefore possible with TASs, as periodic time windows (slots) are created based on Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) models. During these intervals, only scheduled or reserved time- or mission- critical data is transmitted, without any interference. In effect, because all TASs and network devices are synchronised, every node is aware of when priority data may be sent and processed. Consequently, sending and receiving times will be scheduled in the traffic definitions of the data packages. Determinism The TSN standards can avoid possible data losses by preventing network overloads. In addition, traffic planning and the resulting determinism help companies to merge multiple types of traffic on a single network. For example, it is possible to combine I/O and motion control as well as safety communications without compromising performance. In fact, companies can also integrate Ethernet traffic from equipment such as cameras, barcode readers and printers, as well as other Ethernet protocols onto the same network. Companies can also reduce their capital expenditure significantly by simplifying the network architectures and making better use of their available network bandwidths. Simplified and clearly structured network architectures can reduce possible downtime by streamlining the identification and elimination of errors. It is also possible to use more flexible infrastructures. Devices can be added or removed easily from the network as well as reconfigured while supporting different configuration philosophies. In addition, the transparency and convergence offered by TSN technology can help different parts of a company to access relevant data at different levels. This can be beneficial to productivity. Convergence Process transparency and productivity can improve even further, as companies can use TSN to converge their IT (information technology) and OT (operational technology) activities. Thus, digital transformation strategies provide data-driven insights that can be used to optimise key operations. The data transparency and convergence of TSN allows businesses to connect IT and OT to extract more data from industrial processes and analyse it using increasingly accurate and smart predictive models to gather meaningful knowledge on factory operations. This in- depth understanding can then be leveraged to improve performance, productivity, efficiency as well as product quality. Ultimately, TSN supports the creation of competitive and futureproof connected industries that support Industry 4.0 applications. Even more, it is compatible with innovations such as 5G. Companies should therefore look at implementing TSN now to prepare for the future of industrial communications, while also addressing their current needs. A newWhite Paper fromCLPA examines TSN and its role in the digital transformation of businesses. You can download it from https://eu.cc-link.org/en/campaign/2020/tsnwp John Browett, general manager at CLPA Europe, looks at some of the technicalities of TSN and why it is crucial to improving and futureproofing industrial communications. The nuts and bolts of TSN