Overview

Seamless real-time communication is the core prerequisite for all Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) implementations. Renesas offers best-in-class communication components for all leading industrial communication protocols such as PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, Modbus, CC-Link, and more. All of these silicon solutions come with comprehensive software support.

Industrial Network

Industrial Ethernet and Fieldbus Network Image

Recommended MCU/MPU/LSI

For Master

Fieldbus   RZ/T2M RZ/T2L RZ/T1 RZ/N2L RZ/N1D RZ/N1S RZ/N1L RX72M ASI4U-V5
Industrial Ethernet OPC UA — — — — check — — — —
PROFINET — — — — check — — — —
EtherCAT check* check* check check* check — — — —
EtherNet/IP — — — — check — — — —
POWERLINK — — — — — — — — —
ModbusTCP — — — — check — — check —
SercosⅢ — — — — — — — — —
CC-Link IE TSN — — — — — — — — —
CC-Link IE Field — — — — — — — — —
Fieldbus IO-Link — — — — check* check* — — —
PROFIBUS — — — — — — — check —
CANopen — — — — check — — check —
DeviceNet — — — — — — — — —
Modbus RTU/ASCII — — — — check — — check —
CC-Link — — — — — — — — —
ASi-5 — — — — — — — — check

For Slave

Fieldbus   RZ/T2M RZ/T2L RZ/T1 RZ/N2L RZ/N1D RZ/N1S RZ/N1L R-IN32(CL3) R-IN32(CL) R-IN32(EC) EC-1 TPS-1 ASI4U-V5 RX72M RL78
Industrial Ethernet OPC UA check* — check check* check check check check* check check — — — check —
PROFINET check*
RT/IRT		 — check
RT		 check*
RT/IRT		 check
RT		 check
RT		 check
RT		 check
RT		 check
RT		 check
RT		 — check
RT/IRT		 — check
RT		 —
EtherCAT check check check check check check check — — check check — — check —
EtherNet/IP check — check check check check check check check check — — — check —
POWERLINK check* — — check* check check check — — — — — — — —
ModbusTCP check — check check check check check check check check — — — check —
SercosⅢ — — — — check check check — — — — — — — —
CC-Link IE TSN
A: ClassA
B: ClassB		 check*
A		 — check*
A		 check*
A		 check*
A		 check*
A		 check*
A		 check
A, B		 check
A		 check
A		 — — — check
A		 —
CC-Link IE
F: Field
FB: Field Basic		 check*
FB		 — check*
FB		 check*
FB		 check*
FB		 check*
FB		 check*
FB		 check　check*
F　 FB		 check　check*
F　 FB		 — — — — check*
FB		 —
Fieldbus IO-Link** — — — — — — — — — — — — — — check
PROFIBUS check* — check* check* — — — — — — — — — check —
CANopen check* — check* check* — — — — — — — — — check —
DeviceNet check* — check* check* — — — — — check — — — check —
Modbus RTU/ASCII check* — check check* check check check check check check — — — check check
CC-Link — — — — — — — — check check — — — — —
ASi-5 — — — — — — — — — — — — check — —

* Under consideration. Contact a sales person for details.
** Multiple MCUs cover IO-Link Slave requirements. Learn more at IO-Link Device Solutions.

Future Projects

Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN)

One of the core entities in the center of Industry 4.0 are cyber-physical systems. By definition, these systems require a representation in cyberspace. For that, the operations technology (OT) networks that connect the production equipment and the information technology (IT) networks from the upper factory layers will need to converge.

However, most of the industrial Ethernet standards from the current generation require proprietary hardware. This makes the convergence of networks close to impossible. The consequences are island networks that need gateways to be connected to other hierarchies.

To meet these trends, Renesas is working on realize Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN).

TSN contains all the ingredients to overcome the current limitations of the proprietary implementations. It offers a truly unified network architecture and unlike most of the current industrial Ethernet standards, it is not limited to 100Mbps. The TSN technology is defined by the IEEE 802.1 TSN task groups which combine a set of IEEE standards in order to achieve real-time deterministic behavior while being both vertically and horizontally scalable.

Renesas is a leading supplier of industrial network solutions for the relevant industrial Ethernet standards of the current generation. Renesas will be able to combine the current generation industrial network technology with TSN.

Time-Sensitive Networking Diagram

OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA)

With the advancement of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), the various systems (things) need to connect to and communicate with each other. As a result, the use of Ethernet-based networks in factories is becoming more widespread, as deterministic, safe communications across all levels of the factory are more critical than ever.

To meet these trends, Renesas is working on realizing the OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) on various Renesas MCU/MPU/ASSP. OPC UA is a machine-to-machine communication protocol for industrial automation developed by the OPC Foundation. Renesas already has various communication technologies for industrial ethernet, industrial fieldbus, sensorbus, and more. By adding OPC UA, Renesas will continue to contribute to a smart society via a secure, real-time, end-to-end gateway solution.

OPC Unified Architecture Diagram