[Talking about Industrial IoT⑥] Will B&R, combining OPC-UA and TSN, become a smart factory turbo engine?
Published2018.02.05 17:46TSN turbocharges OPC-UA's speed
OPC-UA is an OPC Foundation technology that enables stable connections between equipment (robots, sensors, etc.) in automated environments, as well as up to higher-level stations and enterprise levels, using various industrial protocols. It aims to create a future smart industrial system that integrates diverse systems, establishes standards, and operates autonomously.
OPC-UA meets emerging industry requirements, such as security, data loss, redundant data connections, and the use of complex data structures. It offers scalability, high availability, and Internet functionality while remaining independent of operating systems and programming languages. Furthermore, it supports a wide range of systems, from PLCs in production, including embedded systems in control devices, to MES and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems in enterprise servers.
Platform-independent protocol usage, a communication stack that can be ported to any operating system or embedded hardware – these are the unique protocol communication advantages that enable efficient combinations of OPC-UA. Due to these advantages, it is currently used by most major control system manufacturers.
B&R's Deputy General Manager, Sa Jae-hoon, explains the "Orange Box" solution for OPC-UA.
However, OPC-UA doesn't fully meet the level of openness required for comprehensive communication integration in smart factories. To address this issue, the Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) technology standard was developed. A separate standard from OPC-UA, it boasts data transfer speeds at least 10 times faster than existing Industrial Ethernet protocols. Currently under research and development by the IEEE 802.1 Study Group, it is slated for registration as a standard.
TSN aims to enable automation technologies with individual, flexible, modular structures, connected via Industrial Ethernet, to evolve into increasingly intelligent peripherals. For example, individual subsystems and modules are configured with their own controllers, enabling intelligent production. This means that groups of identical equipment are aggregated into a single, intelligent unit.
Deputy Director Sa Jae-hoon said, “TSN technology, which is a protocol at least 10 times faster, can solve the problems arising from the large amount of data generated by the advanced equipment itself. “If used in conjunction with OPC-UA, it can be evaluated as an optimized protocol with integration and expandability in future smart industrial sites,” he said. “If we develop applications that fit this direction and target the semiconductor market, more industrial automation equipment companies will be able to enter the innovative market,” he advised.
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