Electricity and Control August 2021

INDUSTRY 4.0 + IIOT

profiles, particularly for industrial automation, as well as the development of new applications for wider use, not confined solely to industrial settings. To support the global adoption of TSN, it will soon be essential to set up unified conformance testing to ensure that different solutions are interoperable, leveraging the full potential of TSN. Open technologies, such as CC-Link IE TSN, are therefore likely to be favoured. The transition towards TSN will be especially exciting as it is a natural evolution of Ethernet, supporting its continu­ ous improvement. In time we will benefit from more building blocks which will open up new functions and higher perfor­ mance while supporting existing, still functioning systems. □

At a glance  As well as delivering new capabilities and multiple benefits,TSN provides for continuity with existing network technology.  Automation vendors need to team up to deliver devices withTSN capabilities that meet customers’ expectations and needs.  A number of milestones have been reached to support the use ofTSN, including completion of the IEEE 802.1 standards defining the technology.

gigabit bandwidth and TSN capabilities. In addition, the first prototypes and complete products have already appeared, with devices available and ready for use now. More testbeds are ongoing or planned to take place in the short term. These will contribute to making the technology more mature and support its large-scale implementation. The sector is working towards the finalisation of IEEE

For more information visit: www.eu.cc-link.org

INDUSTRY 4.0 + IIOT : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

Compliance testing for high-speed Ethernet cables

Bringing together UNH-IOL’s expertise in cable assembly and backplane compliance tests with Rohde & Schwarz test solutions, these two organisations are paving the way for automated compliance tests in line with the latest IEEE 802.3 Ethernet and InfiniBand standards. Test and measurement specialist Rohde & Schwarz and the University of New Hampshire Interoperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) are extending their ongoing collaboration to expand Ethernet and InfiniBand compliance testing. They have pooled their expertise to provide methods of implementation (MOI) for precise, fast and error-free compliance testing of high-speed cables and backplanes in line with IEEE 802.3 (up to IEEE 802.3ck) and InfiniBand standards (up to rate designator HDR), using vector network analysis test equipment from Rohde & Schwarz. Data rates and data traffic are continuing to grow and such high data rates need to be transported between computer modules or high-speed data networks. The lat­ est specifications, for Ethernet IEEE 802.3ck, planned to be published in autumn 2021 (northern hemisphere), will allow data rates up to 800 Gb/s. InfiniBand, a communi­ cations standard to address very low latency and very

high throughput rates, opts in the extension planned for 2021 even for throughput rates up to 1 200 Gb/s when combining several links. Long-distance transmission in both standards is handled via optical links. But to bridge short distances, high-speed copper cables are used. To secure reliable data transmission with these extremely high data rates, cable compliance tests are implemented to provide confidence in the products. UNH-IOL is a worldwide reference centre for cable compliance tests, and cable manufacturers turn to the interoperability laboratory for their testing services. During 2020, Rohde & Schwarz provided the laboratory with a state-of-the-art R&S ZNBT40 multiport vector network analyser with 16 integrated test ports, covering up to 40 GHz, to support efficient testing. UNH-IOL has created the MOI for IEEE 802.3 Ether­ net and InfiniBand based on its experience. The MOI describe exactly how to perform compliance test meas­ urements on high-speed cables and backplanes to fulfil the corresponding specifications. Martin Stumpf, Market Segment Manager High Speed Digital Design Test at Rohde & Schwarz says: “The MOIs along with the included state files provide excellent guidance for the industry and describe the test steps as well as the calculations of channel operating margin (COM) and effective return loss (ERL). Later this year, we plan to provide automatic scripts based on our R&S ZN run test sequencer software that will simplify compliance tests further. We are excited to pursue this goal with the UNH-IOL.” Bob Noseworthy, Principal Engineer at UNH-IOL says: “After a successful collaboration with Rohde & Schwarz to develop this MOI, we look forward to further collabora­ tion to extend UNH-IOL high speed cable conformance testing capabilities.”

Rohde & Schwarz provided UNH-IOL with a R&S ZNBT40 multiport VNA with 16 integrated test ports to support efficient testing.

For more information visit: www.rohde-schwarz.com

8 Electricity + Control AUGUST 2021