In the traditional world of IT (information technology), time is a relatively forgiving concept. When you refresh a webpage or send an email, the network delay of tens of milliseconds is imperceptible to the human eye.
However, when Ethernet technology entered the field of OT (Operational Technology) and entered smart factories, autonomous driving, and Advanced Transportation Management Systems (ATMS), the timeline changed dramatically. In the microscopic world of industrial control, a "slight error" not only means "a huge mistake," but also means production line shutdowns, equipment damage, and even serious safety accidents.
Before discussing next-generation industrial networks, we must first answer a core question: Since we already have a mature NTP (Network Time Protocol), why does the industry still go to great lengths to develop PTP (IEEE 1588) and TSN?
