Comparative Performance Evaluation of 5G-TSN Applications in Indoor Factory Environments

Abstract

While Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) enhances the determinism, real-time capabilities, and reliability of Ethernet, future industrial networks will not only use wired but increasingly wireless communications. Wireless networks enable mobility, have lower costs, and are easier to deploy. However, for many industrial applications, wired connections remain the preferred choice, particularly those requiring strict latency bounds and ultra-reliable data flows, such as for controlling machinery or managing power electronics. The emergence of 5G, with its Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) promises to enable high data rates, ultra-low latency, and minimal jitter, presenting a new opportunity for wireless industrial networks. However, as 5G networks include wired links from the base station towards the core network, a combination of 5G with time-sensitive networking is needed to guarantee stringent QoS requirements. In this paper, we evaluate 5G-TSN performance for different indoor factory applications and environments through simulations. Our findings demonstrate that 5G-TSN can address latency-sensitive scenarios in indoor factory environments.