A Perspective on IEEE Time-Sensitive Networking for Industrial Communication and Automation Systems

Networks are a core element of many industrial and automation systems at present. Often these networks transport time- and safety-critical messages that control physical processes. Thus, timely and guaranteed delivery is an essential property of networks for such critical systems. Over the past decade, a variety of network solutions have evolved to satisfy said properties. However, these solutions are largely incompatible with each other and many system architects are forced to deploy different solutions in parallel due to their different capabilities. IEEE 802.1 Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) is a standardization group that enhances IEEE networking standards, most prominently Ethernet-based networks, with said properties and has the unique potential to evolve as a cross-industry mainstream networking technology. In this survey paper, we give an overview of TSN in industrial communication and automation systems and discuss specific TSN standards and projects in detail as well as their applicability to various industries.