The Future of Industrial Communication: Automation Networks in the Era of the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0

TLDR

IoT and CPS concepts are transforming industrial automation by enabling wider, finer‑grained interconnection through recent technological advances. This article reviews how IoT and CPS trends affect industrial communication and argues for harmonization beyond networking. The authors survey Industry 4.0 impacts, current Ethernet TSN work, and the role of 5G networks in automation.

Abstract

With the introduction of the Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber-physical system (CPS) concepts in industrial application scenarios, industrial automation is undergoing a tremendous change. This is made possible in part by recent advances in technology that allow interconnection on a wider and more fine-grained scale. The purpose of this article is to review technological trends and the impact they may have on industrial communication. We will review the impact of IoT and CPSs on industrial automation from an industry 4.0 perspective, give a survey of the current state of work on Ethernet time-sensitive networking (TSN), and shed light on the role of fifth-generation (5G) telecom networks in automation. Moreover, we will point out the need for harmonization beyond networking.