Simulation framework for EtherCAT over TSN

EtherCAT is a real-time industrial Ethernet technology suitable for hard and soft real-time requirements. It is based on new technology, “on-the-fly processing”, which significantly reduces cycle times and jitter to further expand the capabilities of IIoT. IEEE 802.1 TSN in recent years gained more attention in IIoT because it offers real-time communication over a shared Ethernet medium with predictable end-to-end delay and jitter. However, there is no work presented to showcase the benefits of EtherCAT and TSN integration apart from theoretical information. Therefore, to expedite the analysis of EtherCAT over a TSN network, we used OMNeT++. Here, we will compare the cycle time and jitter by evaluating different scenarios of EtherCAT communications over a NeSTiNg TSN network.