Unlocking Productivity and Security: Key Industrial Network Standards for Modern Manufacturing

As manufacturing becomes faster, smarter, and more interconnected, industrial network standards are the foundation for secure, scalable, and productive plant operations. From wireless coexistence in complex factory environments to seamless cross-platform simulation, these standards ensure your systems can operate reliably—even alongside diverse technologies. This in-depth article covers three transformative standards shaping today’s industrial networks: IEC 62657-2:2025 (Coexistence Management for Wireless Systems), IEC PAS 63693:2026 (WiTSnet Fieldbus Specifications), and ISO 21175-1:2026 (Collaboration Environment for Simulation on Manufacturing Platforms). Discover how adopting these standards is essential for boosting productivity, safeguarding your digital infrastructure, and scaling operations for Industry 4.0 and beyond.

Overview / Introduction

In the era of smart factories and Industry 4.0, the complexity and interdependency of automated manufacturing processes have skyrocketed. Modern industrial networks rely on seamless communication, robust interoperability, and strong cybersecurity postures. Given the proliferation of wireless systems, multi-vendor environments, and the urgent need for real-time collaboration, implementing internationally recognized industrial network standards has evolved from a nice-to-have to an absolute necessity.

But why are these standards essential?

• Interference management: Managing radio-frequency (RF) interference is non-negotiable as more wireless devices populate factory floors.
• Productivity gains: Standardized architectures and protocols enable seamless data exchange, leading to smarter, more efficient automation.
• Security and compliance: With cyber threats rising, adhering to standards is often vital for compliance and process safety.
• Scalability: Standardized solutions make it possible to expand or reconfigure plants with minimal risk and downtime.

In this article, you’ll gain an actionable understanding of three leading standards, how they address everyday industrial challenges, and the tangible benefits of aligning your organization’s infrastructure with their requirements.

Detailed Standards Coverage

IEC 62657-2:2025 – Mastering Wireless Coexistence Management for Industrial Networks

Industrial networks – Coexistence of wireless systems – Part 2: Coexistence management

What It Covers:

IEC 62657-2:2025 is the go-to standard for ensuring reliable operation of multiple wireless technologies within modern automated industrial environments. By setting out principles, parameters, and a life-cycle framework for wireless coexistence, it addresses the urgent business need to mediate interference, optimize throughput, and sustain operational performance in crowded radio environments.

Key Requirements & Specifications:

• Defines a core set of assumptions and concepts governing wireless coexistence.
• Outlines over 60 operational parameters such as frequency bands, antenna types, communication load, power spectral density, and security levels.
• Establishes lifecycle management processes: from planning and installation to maintenance and operation.
• Focuses not just on static factors (layout, device selection) but on dynamic self-organization of wireless networks during operation.
• Introduces coexistence management systems—institutionalizing roles like a ‘coexistence manager’, precise documentation, and training.

Who Needs to Comply:

• Plant managers responsible for automation systems with wireless devices.
• Network engineers and integrators designing or upgrading industrial control systems.
• Any manufacturing site with overlapping wireless technologies—from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to proprietary radio networks.

Practical Implications:

• Assures smooth integration of new wireless tools without disrupting legacy systems.
• Prevents costly downtime or process malfunctions caused by RF interference.
• Streamlines troubleshooting and risk assessment with structured documentation.
• Guides compliance with national and regional regulations for radio emissions and spectrum usage.

Notable Features:

• Updated definitions aligned with emerging standards and the IEC Common Data Dictionary.
• Lifecycle guidance covering installation to administration and training.
• Templates and best practices for parameter documentation and risk assessment.

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive checklist of wireless coexistence parameters, from bit rate to security.
• Lifecycle model for continuous improvement and adaptation.
• Emphasizes both human and self-organizing network responsibilities.

Access the full standard:View IEC 62657-2:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC PAS 63693:2026 – Fieldbus Specifications for Time-Critical Communication (WiTSnet)

Industrial networks – Fieldbus specifications – WiTSnet

What It Covers:

IEC PAS 63693:2026 defines the architecture, protocols, and essential behaviors for WiTSnet—a modern fieldbus system designed to guarantee time-critical data exchanges between industrial devices. It lays down the rules for deterministic, predictable, and reliable messaging, supporting both the abstract service models and concrete wire-protocols.

Key Requirements & Specifications:

• Specifies communication services that support time-critical operations within defined windows (deadlines for messages).
• Abstract modeling of resources, actions, and events for robust automation.
• Exact rules for message syntax, protocol data units, and encoding at both data-link and application layers.
• Clear definitions for state machines handling data-link and application behaviors.
• Rules for error detection, time control, relay functions, and device discovery.
• Modular design: distinguishes layers and interfaces to foster interoperability and modular upgrades.

Who Needs to Comply:

• Device manufacturers and system integrators building or maintaining time-sensitive industrial networks.
• Automation software developers working with fieldbus architectures.
• Industrial control engineers implementing high-availability data exchange in process control, batch processing, or discrete manufacturing.

Practical Implications:

• Delivers predictable messaging crucial for safety systems and mission-critical equipment.
• Enables integration of multi-vendor devices, lowering supplier lock-in and long-term costs.
• Lays the foundation for automated failure recovery and robust diagnostics.
• Harmonizes with the Fieldbus Reference Model, bridging diverse networks.

Notable Features:

• Comprehensive abstract data models and protocol syntax.
• Supports both application and data-link layer management.
• Promotes system resilience through error handling and clock synchronization.

Key highlights:

• Guarantees message delivery within critical time windows.
• Modular, service-oriented architecture for future-proof upgrades.
• Supports seamless device discovery and management in large networks.

Access the full standard:View IEC PAS 63693:2026 on iTeh Standards

ISO 21175-1:2026 – Simulation Collaboration Across Manufacturing Platforms

Automation systems and integration — Collaboration environment requirements of simulation on different manufacturing platforms — Part 1: Reference model and process

What It Covers:

ISO 21175-1:2026 is a breakthrough for joint simulation projects in manufacturing. It delivers a reference model and process framework enabling collaborative modeling and simulation environments (CMSE) across disparate manufacturing platforms. By standardizing interfaces and meta-models, this document allows manufacturers and their partners to share, integrate, and collaborate on simulations in real time—across departments, sites, and even corporate boundaries.

Key Requirements & Specifications:

• Defines a reference process for planning, analyzing, and realizing joint simulation projects.
• Introduces neutral interfaces and meta-models for platform-agnostic simulation.
• Maps the business process from initial goal-setting and stakeholder identification through to deployment.
• Designed to support simulation needs in business planning, production management, logistics, and operations control.
• Focuses on interoperability across different operating systems, infrastructures, and simulation middleware.

Who Needs to Comply:

• Enterprises engaging in collaborative engineering, joint R&D, or distributed manufacturing simulation.
• Simulation engineers, digital twin architects, and IT professionals managing multi-platform environments.
• Any organization looking to break down silos for data-driven decision making and digital transformation in manufacturing.

Practical Implications:

• Streamlines cross-team simulation efforts, improving product design, testing, and deployment times.
• Reduces manual integration, phone-based coordination, and model translation between disparate systems.
• Supports the evolution from static, offline simulations to dynamic, cloud-enabled and on-demand joint simulation projects.

Notable Features:

• OPM-based (Object Process Methodology) diagrams and semantics for process modeling.
• Structured steps for assembling, analyzing, and deploying simulation collaborations.
• Alignment with other leading simulation interoperability standards for the digital factory.

Key highlights:

• Standardizes collaboration between diverse, distributed simulation platforms.
• Meta-model and interface guidance for integration and extensibility.
• Enables true digital continuity from business planning to real-world operations.

Access the full standard:View ISO 21175-1:2026 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

Adopting these standards isn’t just about technical conformance—it drives business value.

• Productivity: Standardized communication reduces errors and downtime, making plant operations smoother and more efficient.
• Security: By following best practices and prescribed architectures, organizations reduce vulnerability to cyber attacks and signal interference.
• Scalability: Standards-based solutions can be more easily updated, expanded, or adapted as the plant evolves—crucial for future-proofing investments.
• Regulatory compliance: Many countries and industries are mandating facets of these international standards to ensure interoperability, safety, and performance.

Risks of Non-compliance:

• Increased risk of interoperability failures and unscheduled downtime.
• Higher cost when retrofitting legacy solutions or integrating new technologies.
• Greater exposure to cybersecurity threats, operational errors, and regulatory penalties.

Implementation Guidance

Successfully adopting industrial network standards demands a structured approach—balancing technical precision with operational practicality.

Common Implementation Approaches:

1. Gap Analysis: Assess your current network/simulation infrastructure against key requirements.
2. Stakeholder Engagement: Involve IT, engineering, and operational staff early to ensure holistic coverage of coexistence and collaboration needs.
3. Pilot Projects: Start with a focused deployment (e.g., a single production cell) to refine practices and validate compatibility.
4. Documentation & Training: Leverage provided templates, parameter checklists, and role definitions (such as the coexistence manager in IEC 62657-2:2025).
5. Continuous Monitoring: Use analytics and network management tools to track performance and compliance in real time.

Best Practices:

• Keep firmware, protocols, and security measures up to date in all smart devices.
• Document all configurations and policy decisions to ensure transparency and facilitate troubleshooting.
• Foster a culture of ongoing learning and standard reviews—for both IT and OT (Operational Technology) teams.
• Align procurement and vendor selection with standards compliance.

Resources:

• International and national industry bodies, such as IEC and ISO, for the latest amendments.
• Authorized standards publishers, including iTeh Standards, for official documents, interpretation guides, and updates.
• Industry associations focusing on digital manufacturing transformation and best practices.

Conclusion / Next Steps

Industrial network standards sit at the intersection of productivity, security, and strategic growth in modern manufacturing. By implementing IEC 62657-2:2025, IEC PAS 63693:2026, and ISO 21175-1:2026, manufacturers set a robust foundation for interoperable, efficient, and resilient operations—critical for thriving in the digital age.

Key Takeaways:

• Wireless coexistence, deterministic fieldbus protocols, and collaborative simulation environments are now baseline requirements, not future features.
• Proactive compliance with international standards yields a competitive edge—lowering risk and maximizing return on investment.
• The journey starts with awareness: audit your sites, engage with experts, and leverage standards-based planning in all projects.

Recommendation:

• Explore each of these standards in detail to assess fit and readiness (see links above).
• Form multidisciplinary taskforces to drive internal adoption, and stay updated on standards evolutions and new publications.
• Make standards a core part of your plant’s digital transformation roadmap—for greater resilience, innovation, and market relevance.

To stay ahead, keep learning and implementing the latest best practices—visit iTeh Standards for more in-depth guidance and official documentation on industrial network standards.