Clock Synchronization in Future Industrial Networks: Applications, Challenges, and Directions

Time synchronization is essential for the correct and consistent operation of automation systems. An inaccurate analysis being a consequence of improper synchronization, can affect automation functions, e.g., by producing false commands and warnings. Industrial systems are evolving from the rigid automation pyramid to a flexible and reconfigurable architecture due to market evolution. The new trends in Cyber-Physical-Systems (CPS), Industry 4.0, and Internet of Things (IoT) are enabling this evolution. Citing a need to understand the future synchronization requirements, this paper envisions the architecture, communication network, and applications of future automation systems. Built on this vision, the paper derives the future needs of synchronization and analyzes them with state-of-art synchronization means. Based on the analysis, we envision the future of synchronization systems for automation systems.