Industrial Network Market Analysis and Introduction to Common Bus Protocols

Preface
Industrial networks include fieldbuses (e.g., Modbus, CC-Link), industrial Ethernet (e.g., PROFINET, EtherCAT), and wireless communications (e.g., WLAN, Bluetooth). HMS Networks conducts annual analyses of the industrial network market to forecast the distribution of newly installed nodes in factory automation. Research indicates that the global industrial network market is projected to grow by 7% in 2023.

Industrial Ethernet maintains the highest growth rate, accounting for 68% of all newly installed nodes (up from 66% last year). In remaining market share, fieldbuses declined to 24% (27% in 2022), while wireless communications rose to 8% (7% last year). Among specific network protocols, PROFINET and EtherNet/IP tied for first place with 18% each, followed by EtherCAT at 12%.

Figure 1: 2023 Industrial Network Market Share (HMS Networks)

Figure 2: 2024 Industrial Network Market Share Forecast (HMS Networks)

1. PROFINET Protocol Bus
   PROFINET (Process Field Network) is a widely used real-time Ethernet communication protocol in industrial automation. Based on IEEE standards, it combines the flexibility of industrial Ethernet with the high reliability of fieldbuses. It is extensively applied in factory automation (e.g., automotive manufacturing, machining, electronics production), process industries (e.g., petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages), and logistics/warehousing automation. PROFINET’s rapid growth is attributed to Siemens’ leading position in the global automation sector and reflects the ongoing shift toward Ethernet in industrial networks.

2. EtherNet/IP Protocol Bus
   EtherNet/IP (EtherNet Industrial Protocol) is an industrial communication protocol based on standard Ethernet, managed by ODVA (Open DeviceNet Vendors Association). It is widely used in discrete manufacturing, process control, and hybrid industries. Its core feature is the adoption of the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP), supporting real-time control, device configuration, and data acquisition.

EtherNet/IP dominates the industrial Ethernet market in North America, with applications in automotive, food and beverage, and petrochemical industries. In Europe, it holds a niche in automotive manufacturing and packaging machinery but remains less prevalent than PROFINET. In Asia (China, Japan, South Korea), EtherNet/IP is not widely adopted but is gaining traction in specific manufacturing sectors amid the broader growth of industrial Ethernet.

1. EtherCAT Protocol Bus EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology) is a high-performance, low-latency industrial Ethernet protocol developed by Beckhoff and standardized as IEC 61158. Its key features include distributed clock synchronization and efficient data processing, making it ideal for high-speed real-time control scenarios.

EtherCAT dominates high-end automation equipment and robotics in Europe. In recent years, driven by the rapid development of chips integrating ESC (EtherCAT Slave Controller) in DSPs, MCUs, and switches, its adoption has grown rapidly in China, particularly in emerging manufacturing sectors such as 3C electronics, lithium batteries, photovoltaics, and semiconductors.

1. Other Industrial Ethernet Protocols Beyond the three major protocols above, other notable industrial Ethernet protocols include Modbus TCP, POWERLINK, and CC-Link IE.

Modbus TCP: Leveraging the simplicity, lightweight design, and ease of use of the Modbus protocol, it has a global market presence, primarily in process control (power, building automation) and monitoring/SCADA systems, as well as small-scale production line equipment.

CC-Link IE: Developed by the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA), CC-Link IE (Control & Communication Link Industrial Ethernet) includes CC-Link IE Field (field-level) and CC-Link IE TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking). It features high bandwidth (1Gbps), strong real-time performance, and support for large-scale networks. Promoted by Mitsubishi, it is mainly used in automation sectors across Japan, China, and Southeast Asia.