CC-Link IE TSN functions demonstrated at IIC Plugfest

A selection of Mitsubishi Electric’s CC-Link IE TSN certified industrial automation devices will be put through their paces at the latest Industry IoT Consortium (IIC) Plugfest.

The event, taking place from 26-27 September 2022 at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, is part of the organisation’s Testbed on Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). The presence of Mitsubishi Electric’s solutions in the test track further attests to the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) and its partners’ commitment to drive TSN compatibility and ultimately support network convergence.

The IIC Plugfest offers a key opportunity to run TSN testbed scenarios, as infrastructure providers can validate their ability to meet IEEE 802.1 standards. This provides organisations and automation vendors with the chance to verify the operation of value-adding network architectures that successfully incorporate the innovative technology to benefit end users.

As a leading provider of TSN-compatible devices, which can be used to test the network infrastructure and its capabilities, CLPA board member Mitsubishi Electric will take part in the plug fest with its master and slave modules that incorporate CC-Link IE TSN. Developed by the CLPA, this is the first open industrial Ethernet with both TSN functions and gigabit bandwidth.

With over 100 CC-Link IE TSN certified automation products, Mitsubishi Electric is one of the few vendors that can already offer an extensive range of TSN solutions for the operational technology (OT) domain. The company’s participation in the event, which will validate interoperability between automation devices and other vendors’ switches, will be key to delivering convergence, which will ultimately help to bring the entire industry a step closer to merging multiple network traffic types while integrating the OT and information technology (IT) worlds.

John Browett, general manager at CLPA Europe, comments: “Events like the IIC Plugfest are a must to build the open, interconnected network ecosystems of the future, where device interoperability is guaranteed. In effect, they provide unique, collaborative, cross-industry opportunities that are important to drive key technical innovations at the core of tomorrow’s Connected Industries. Hence, we are delighted that CC-Link IE TSN compatible products will be used during the plug fest. This is a testament of how the real-world applications of our solution can be realised and how it can drive convergence.”