Who Reigns Supreme? Exploring the Diverse Landscape of Industrial Ethernet Protocols from Siemens, Rockwell Automation, Beckhoff, and Beyond
[Introduction]Currently, the prevalent industrial Ethernet protocols in the market include EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP/IP, CC-Link IE TSN, HSE, POWERLINK, Sercos III, and TSN. So, which protocol holds the highest market share? And what are their respective characteristics?
The industrial Ethernet protocol market is fiercely competitive, with different protocols potentially holding advantages in various application scenarios. According to the 2023 Industrial Network Market Share Report published by HMS Networks, PROFINET and EtherNet/IP each hold 18% of the market, tying for the top spot, with EtherCAT closely following at 12%. In the 2022 Global Industrial Network Market Share Report, PROFINET and EtherNet/IP also tied for the first place, each accounting for 17% of the market share, while EtherCAT occupied 11%, ranking third in market share.
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What is Industrial Ethernet?
Industrial Ethernet is based on Ethernet technology standards, incorporating the unique requirements and characteristics of industrial environments. It has undergone a series of improvements and extensions on traditional Ethernet to meet the specific demands for real-time performance, reliability, and security in industrial settings. The Ethernet communication that supports TCP/IP in our daily lives typically has a response time of 100ms with uncertainties, rendering it unsuitable for industrial scenarios. As a result, driven by some major industrial equipment manufacturers, numerous industrial Ethernet protocols have emerged, such as EtherCAT, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP/IP, POWERLINK, Sercos III, and Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). Let's delve into these protocols.
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EtherCAT-BECKHOFF
"Open but not open-source technology," which means you can freely use the technology, but if you intend to develop related equipment, you need to obtain the necessary authorization from Beckhoff Automation. Known for its flexibility and low cost, EtherCAT has seen rapid development in recent times. EtherCAT technology breaks through the system limitations of other Ethernet solutions by eliminating the need to receive Ethernet packets, decode them, and then copy process data to individual devices. EtherCAT operates as a MAC layer protocol, remaining transparent to any higher-level Ethernet protocols such as TCP/IP, UDP, Web servers, etc. In terms of topology, EtherCAT supports virtually any topology type, including linear, tree, star, and others.
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EtherNet/IP-ROCKWELL
Developed by Rockwell Automation and managed by ODVA, EtherNet/IP is an application layer protocol built on TCP/IP. EtherNet/IP utilizes the standard Ethernet physical layer, data link layer, network layer, and transport layer, employing commercial Ethernet communication chips, physical media, and a star topology. It employs Ethernet switches to achieve point-to-point connections between devices, supporting both 10Mbps and 100Mbps Ethernet commercial products simultaneously. As EtherNet/IP leverages the Ethernet physical layer network and builds upon the TCP/IP communication protocol, it can be implemented using software on a microprocessor, eliminating the need for specialized ASICs or FPGAs. By utilizing standard Ethernet and switches, EtherNet/IP has no limit on the number of nodes it can have in a system, allowing for the deployment of a single network across multiple endpoints across factory floors. EtherNet/IP offers a comprehensive producer-consumer service and enables highly efficient peer-to-peer communication between slaves.
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PROFINET-SIEMENS
Primarily proposed by Siemens and the PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) association, PROFINET is an industrial automation communication protocol based on Ethernet. It supports both real-time and non-real-time communication, capable of handling vast amounts of real-time data and control information. PROFINET boasts high flexibility and scalability, enabling seamless integration with existing automation equipment and systems. PROFINET can be understood as PROFIbus + etherNET, transplanting the master-slave structure of Profibus onto Ethernet. Consequently, PROFINET features Controllers and Devices, which can be simply correlated to the Master and Slave roles in PROFIbus. It's important to note that PROFINET, being based on Ethernet, supports various topologies such as star, tree, and bus, whereas PROFIbus is limited to bus topology. Thus, PROFINET represents a fusion of the master-slave structure of PROFIbus with the topological flexibility of Ethernet.
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ModbusTCP/IP-SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
Introduced by Schneider Electric, Modbus TCP/IP is an Ethernet-based communication protocol that implements the Modbus protocol over TCP/IP networks. Modbus TCP/IP maps the Modbus protocol onto the TCP/IP protocol stack, enabling Modbus devices to communicate via Ethernet. This is a connection-oriented approach where every call requires a response, aligning with the Modbus master-slave mechanism but significantly enhancing determinism and overcoming limitations of the traditional one-master-multiple-slaves polling mechanism through industrial Ethernet switching technologies. Modbus TCP/IP is a widely adopted communication protocol in the industrial automation field, facilitating data exchange and control between devices.
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CC-Link IE TSN-Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Real-time and Determinism: Leveraging TSN technology, CC-Link IE TSN ensures real-time transmission of critical data, meeting stringent timing requirements.
Multi-protocol Coexistence: Supports the coexistence of multiple Ethernet protocols within the same network, facilitating integration of diverse devices and systems.
Time Synchronization: Ensures precise time synchronization across all devices in the network, aiding in coordinated operations and event logging.
High Reliability: Incorporates redundant links, fault-tolerant mechanisms, and fault diagnosis capabilities, enhancing network reliability and stability.
Security: Provides security mechanisms to safeguard the network from unauthorized access and data tampering.
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HSE-FF Fieldbus Foundation
HSE is a high-speed fieldbus based on the Ethernet+TCP/IP protocol suite, operating over 100Base-T Ethernet. Its architecture adopts an enhanced standard Ethernet model, utilizing the latest advancements in standard Ethernet IEEE802.3μ and the CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) link control protocol for media access control at the lower layers. Beyond offering high bandwidth and improved openness, HSE distinguishes itself with flexible network and device redundancy schemes, as well as its versatile function block technology.
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POWERLINK-贝加莱
Developed by the Austrian automation company B&R Automation, POWERLINK boasts fully open-source code, freely available for download and use by anyone. POWERLINK is an extension of Ethernet that blends polling and time-slicing mechanisms, offering:
- Time-critical data ensured to be transmitted within extremely short isochronous cycles, with predictable response times.
- Time synchronization across all nodes on the network, achieving accuracies below microseconds.
- High bandwidth, low latency, and real-time performance.
It provides reliable real-time communication and synchronization for connecting various industrial devices and automation systems, such as robots, PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), drives, sensors, control panels, and more.
POWERLINK enables real-time data transmission and control signal propagation, supporting multi-node and distributed control systems. The protocol also offers flexible network configuration and scalability, adapting to industrial automation systems of varying sizes and complexities. Utilizing standard Ethernet hardware and protocols, and being compatible with other Ethernet communication protocols, POWERLINK seamlessly integrates and interoperates with existing systems.
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SercosⅢ- German Sercos International
The Sercos III protocol was developed by the German Sercos International e.V., an organization comprising multiple companies in the industrial automation field, who collaborate to advance the development and application of Sercos technology. It is a real-time Ethernet protocol that offers high-performance real-time communication and synchronization capabilities, supporting high-speed data transmission and real-time control, primarily for servo controllers. Sercos has been prevalent in factory automation applications (suited for mechanical engineering and construction) for over 30 years. Sercos III represents its third-generation protocol, established in 2003.
The Sercos III protocol employs serial real-time communication technology, enabling high-speed data transmission between controllers and drives, supporting multiple communication modes and topological structures. It also provides a range of features such as synchronous control, parameter setting, fault diagnosis, and more, to meet the demands of industrial automation systems.
The development of the Sercos III protocol aims to provide a standardized communication solution for the industrial automation sector, fostering interoperability and integration between different devices and systems. By adopting the Sercos III protocol, more efficient and precise motion control and automation system integration can be achieved.
The Sercos III protocol is a real-time communication protocol used in motion control and industrial automation. Characterized by its high speed, precision, and reliability, it is widely applied in fields such as robotics, CNC machine tools, packaging machinery, printing equipment, and more.
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TSN-multiple industry organizations and standards bodies
TSN (Time Sensitive Networking) was not developed by a single specific company but rather jointly promoted by multiple industry organizations and standards bodies. Beyond its real-time capabilities and determinism, TSN boasts another significant technical advantage: scalability, enabling it to operate at rates of 10Mbps, 100Mbps, 1Gbps, or even 10Gbps. TSN is a technology poised to potentially replace traditional bus systems. Technically speaking, TSN represents the second layer of Ethernet that supports real-time functionality, rather than a complete real-time protocol. This means TSN does not intend to replace PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, or similar Ethernet protocols. Instead, these industrial Ethernet protocols will, in the long run, support TSN at the second layer, ensuring that traditional industrial Ethernet protocols will not disappear but will be built upon TSN. However, fieldbuses may be permanently replaced by Ethernet.
TSN is an emerging Ethernet technology standard designed to provide real-time, deterministic, and low-latency communication capabilities for Ethernet networks, catering to the needs of time-sensitive applications in industrial automation, automotive, aerospace, and other sectors. The development of TSN involves contributions from numerous companies, research institutions, and standards organizations.
Key organizations and bodies involved include the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), and IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force). These organizations work towards establishing TSN-related standards and specifications, driving the advancement and adoption of TSN technology.
Numerous companies are actively engaged in TSN research and development, including network equipment manufacturers, automation system providers, and automotive manufacturers. Through collaboration and innovation, they are advancing the application of TSN technology in real-world products and solutions.
The evolution of TSN is a collaborative effort aimed at creating an open, unified standard that enables interoperability between devices and systems from different vendors, facilitating more efficient and reliable real-time communication. This will contribute to the advancement of the Industrial Internet of Things, smart manufacturing, and other time-sensitive applications.