Ethernet communication technology empowers industrial automation and opens a new era of intelligent production

May 23,2025

At a time when the wave of Industry 4.0 is sweeping the world, Ethernet communication technology, with its high bandwidth and strong compatibility, is becoming the core engine to promote the upgrading of industrial automation. In recent years, from flexible manufacturing production lines to cloud-based collaborative systems, the innovative application of Ethernet technology has continuously broken through the boundaries of traditional industries and injected strong momentum into the intelligent transformation of the manufacturing industry.

Real-time breakthrough: Deterministic Ethernet reconstructs industrial control logic.

The traditional Ethernet "best effort" transmission mechanism was once an application bottleneck in the field of industrial control, but now the maturity of Deterministic Ethernet technology has completely rewritten this situation. In the BMW Group's digital factory in Germany, the Ethernet solution based on the IEEE 802.1Qbv time-sensitive network (TSN) protocol controls the transmission delay of key control signals to the microsecond level, and improves the motion synchronization accuracy of the body welding robot to ±0.1 mm. This real-time breakthrough not only realizes the precise coordination of multi-axis linkage equipment, but also shortens the parameter adjustment time of the flexible production line by 70% when switching product models, providing underlying technical support for small-batch customized production in the automotive manufacturing industry.

It is worth noting that the industrial-grade TSN switch launched by Huawei has been applied on a large scale in an electronic component factory in Zhejiang. Through hardware timestamp synchronization and traffic shaping technology, the system carries PLC control signals, visual inspection images and equipment status data in one Ethernet network at the same time, reducing the workshop wiring cost that originally required three independent networks by 62%. "Deterministic Ethernet allows industrial control to move from 'single thread' to 'multi-tasking', just like installing an 'intelligent hub' on the production line." The technical director of the factory said in an interview.

Protocol fusion: OPC UA over TSN breaks through the data barriers between IT and OT

With the in-depth advancement of the industrial Internet, breaking the system isolation between information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) has become a top priority. Ethernet communication technology is building a cross-domain data highway through protocol fusion innovation. In Schneider Electric's Modicon M580 series PLC, the Ethernet interface based on the OPC UA over TSN protocol stack has realized the transparent transmission of full-chain data from the sensor layer to the cloud management system for the first time. After a food and beverage company introduced this solution, the OEE (overall equipment efficiency) data collection cycle of the filling machine was shortened from 1 hour to 15 minutes, the recipe switching error rate dropped by 91%, and the order delivery cycle was shortened by an average of 2.3 days.
The FactoryTalk InnovationSuite platform launched by Rockwell Automation has pushed the protocol integration capabilities of Ethernet to a new level. The platform seamlessly connects with the REST API interface in the IT field through the EtherNet/IP protocol, allowing the tool data of torque wrenches, tightening guns, etc. in the automobile assembly workshop to be synchronized to the MES system in real time. After a new energy vehicle factory applied it, the error-proofing coverage rate of key processes reached 100%, and the quality traceability time was compressed from 4 hours to 12 minutes. "When OT devices can 'speak' like IT systems, the value of industrial data can be truly released." Industry analyst Professor Li pointed out.

Edge computing integration: Ethernet edge nodes activate the value of industrial data

Under the catalysis of 5G and IoT technology, Ethernet communication technology is deeply integrated with edge computing, injecting new momentum of "edge-cloud collaboration" into industrial automation. The Scalance M800 series industrial routers launched by Siemens integrate Ethernet edge computing modules, which can realize local preprocessing of vibration data on mobile devices such as port cranes. After the Qingdao Port Automation Terminal adopted this solution, the accuracy of equipment fault warning increased to 92%, the single fault repair time was shortened by 40%, and the annual maintenance cost was saved by more than 8 million yuan.
More groundbreaking is that the combination of edge computing and Ethernet is reshaping the industrial vision system. The Ethernet-based visual inspection solution launched by Hikvision embeds AI reasoning algorithms into Ethernet switches, enabling the surface defect detection speed of 3C products to reach 200 pieces/minute, with a false detection rate of less than 0.05%. After a mobile phone cover manufacturer applied this system, the labor cost of the quality inspection link decreased by 75%, and the yield rate increased by 1.8 percentage points. "Edge nodes are like 'intelligent nerve endings' distributed on the production line, allowing Ethernet to not only transmit data but also process data." Industry observer Wang Gong analyzed.

Security system upgrade: Industrial-grade Ethernet firewall builds a strong network defense line

As industrial automation systems and the Internet become increasingly connected, network security has become a core issue in Ethernet applications. Phoenix Contact's FL WLAN/PTL 2000 series industrial firewall uses deep packet inspection (DPI) technology to perform fine-grained security control on industrial protocols such as Modbus and Profinet transmitted over Ethernet. After deploying the system, a petroleum refining company successfully intercepted 137 malicious attacks on PLCs, ensuring the safe operation of continuous production equipment worth hundreds of millions of yuan.
It is worth mentioning that industrial Ethernet security is evolving towards a "zero trust" architecture. The EKI-9432 series security switches launched by Advantech Technology have built an "end-to-end" security protection network in a lithium battery factory through identity-based access control and traffic encryption technology. After the implementation of this project, the risk of production data leakage was reduced by 99%, and it also met the certification requirements of international security standards such as ISO 27001. "When Ethernet becomes the 'digital blood' of the industrial system, the security system must be guarded at all times like the blood vessel wall." Dr. Chen, a network security expert, emphasized.
From workshop equipment interconnection to cloud data collaboration, Ethernet communication technology is promoting industrial automation from "single machine intelligence" to "system intelligence" with diversified innovative applications. With the iteration of technologies such as 5G Advanced and AIoT, the application boundaries of Ethernet in the industrial field will continue to expand, providing a solid technical foundation for the implementation of "Made in China 2025". As a senior engineer said: "Ethernet is not only a data channel, but also a catalyst for industrial intelligent transformation."

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Ethernet communication technology empowers industrial automation and opens a new era of intelligent production

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