Avnu Alliance and OPC Foundation will collaborate to advance testing, certification and practical integration of OPC UA FX over time-sensitive networking (TSN), with the shared goal of enabling testable and certified devices that deliver multi-vendor interoperability in real industrial automation deployments.

The agreement brings together Avnu Alliance’s work in TSN conformance, certification and interoperability programs with OPC Foundation’s leadership in OPC UA FX specifications and testing for secure, reliable industrial communication. Together, the organizations intend to help suppliers, system integrators and end users move toward deployable, interoperable systems built from certified TSN components conforming with the IEEE/IEC 60802 TSN Profile for Industrial Automation.

A key focus of the collaboration is the alignment of TSN testing capabilities and certification with OPC UA FX integration needs. The organizations, which were two of the main contributors to the TSN Industrial Automation Conformance Collaboration (TIACC) will leverage the common test specification for the IEEE/IEC 60802 TSN profile to validate test tools and develop joint certification pathways to ensure conformance and interoperability of switches and end stations. By coordinating conformance requirements, acceptance tests and integration scenarios, Avnu Alliance and OPC Foundation aim to accelerate market readiness for OPC UA FX over 60802-ready TSN networks and give industrial users greater confidence in multi-vendor deployments.

As an early implementation step, Avnu Alliance, OPC Foundation and other industry organizations convened in a two-day industrial-focused plugfest in Stuttgart, Germany, on September 28–29. Hosted by the University of Stuttgart, the event provided an environment to exercise the collaboration’s objectives by demonstrating interoperability, conformance and integration of industrial applications using TSN, including OPC UA FX over 60802-ready TSN networks. The plugfest was open to all participants with or without devices. Attendees bringing hardware were able to test existing TSN capabilities, new functionalities and fieldbus integration scenarios, while observer participants reviewed test setups, joined technical discussions that helped them plan for future participation.

“This collaboration is intended to help the industrial automation community move from specification development toward practical, multi-vendor device testing, certification and integration with industrial applications,” said Dave Cavalcanti, president of the Avnu Alliance. “By aligning the TSN ecosystem on implementation priorities, testing requirements and capabilities with OPC UA FX integration, we can show a path toward testable, certifiable devices that are ready for real deployment scenarios, which other organizations may also follow.”

Peter Lutz, director field level communication initiative at OPC Foundation says: “We look forward to working with members and partners to identify conformance and interoperability needs for integration of TSN in the industrial automation market.”