With the rise of Industry 4.0, precise timing is central to coordinating everything from the motors to the sensors used in industrial automation. Timing synchronization is vital for electronic systems, including robotics, accurate sensor measurements, functional safety mechanisms, resolving issues on the factory floor and much more. In fact, any malfunctioning of timing devices can lead to delays, errors, equipment failures and downtime. Precision timing ensures that industrial applications operate efficiently, safely and reliably.

Historically, quartz timing devices were the standard technology used for timing electronic circuits in industrial applications. While Quartz oscillators (XOs) have been the defacto timing solution, it’s well known that quartz material is vulnerable to environmental stressors such as temperature variation, shock, vibration and electrical noise, leading to malfunction and even failures. Advancements in automation sophistication drives the need for more precision and significantly increases the amount of data needed to be transmitted within a factory environment.

Today there is a better alternative for industrial automation with silicon Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) timing solutions that overcome limitations of legacy quartz devices. Read on to explore why successful industrial automation is a matter of timing.

MEMS Precision Timing Enables a New Era in Industrial Automation

Industry 4.0 is delivering a new era of industrial automation technology, marked by the integration of advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), big data, robotics, and cloud computing into manufacturing and industrial processes. It emphasizes the use of smart systems, interconnected machines, and real-time data analytics to create more efficient, flexible, and automated production environments. This technological shift allows for enhanced decision-making, improved operational efficiency, and greater customization of products. Industry 4.0 also fosters increased connectivity between factories and the digital world, enabling remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and optimized supply chain management. By leveraging these innovations, you can achieve higher productivity, reduce downtime, and meet the growing demand for more agile and sustainable manufacturing processes with a deep impact on all types of industrial automation applications. Key characteristics of the transformation in industrial automation include:

• Enhanced connectivity within factories and to the cloud.
• Smarter devices and advanced edge intelligence.
• Improved human-machine interfaces that enhance operations, reduce errors and increase safety.
• Greater use of robotics and collaborative robots (cobots) to assist human operators.

As manufacturers adopt Industry 4.0 technologies, they are integrating faster embedded processors and microcontrollers, along with quicker data transfers between boards. This shift drives the adoption of high-speed interfaces like industrial Ethernet and Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) for factory networking and Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) for display systems.

With the need for millimeter-level accuracy in motor control systems—especially for robots, cobots, and autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs)—there is an increased emphasis on advanced, high-speed processors. These systems process large amounts of data from position sensors, LiDAR scanners, and control devices. In such environments, where rapid data transfer is essential, the margin for timing errors is tiny. Doubling the clock frequency halves the allowable jitter (timing pulse fluctuation), and excessive jitter can cause system slowdowns. Thus, a stable timing signal with low jitter is crucial.

Unfortunately, quartz oscillators often struggle to maintain stability under varying conditions. Temperature changes, shock, vibration, and electrical noise can lead to unstable frequency outputs, challenging consistent and reliable timing.

When the Environmental Context Challenges Electronic Systems

Industrial electronic components encounter several environmental challenges. Powerful motors generate high-frequency vibrations, making timing clocks located near the motor susceptible to these vibrations and shocks. Equipment like stamping machines can produce sudden impacts that affect quartz oscillators, leading to increased phase noise or jitter and potentially breaking the quartz crystal. In contrast, MEMS oscillators are designed to better withstand shock and vibration, offering much greater durability.

Extreme temperatures also pose a challenge. High temperatures resulting from machinery and industrial processes—such as those in petrochemical refineries or steel mills—can negatively impact electronic components. Quartz oscillators may become unstable in such high-temperature environments, whereas MEMS oscillators are engineered to endure these conditions more effectively.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) further complicates matters. High-voltage power distribution and high-frequency switching generate significant EMI, which can destabilize quartz timing components, causing frequency shifts and performance issues. MEMS oscillators, however, provide better resistance to EMI and often include features like spread-spectrum capabilities to mitigate EMI effects and ensure stable performance.

Benefits of SiTime MEMS Timing Solutions for Industrial Applications

Switching to SiTime MEMS timing technology offers many benefits over traditional quartz oscillators:

• Reliability and Longevity: MEMS timing solutions, like those from SiTime, use silicon and standard semiconductor processes, making them more reliable than quartz. They have a defect rate of less than 0.1 per million and a mean time before failure (MTBF) of 2.2 billion hours.
• Durability: SiTime’s MEMS resonators, made from silicon, are incredibly strong—15 times stronger than titanium. The manufacturing process at 1100°C ensures high quality and resistance to external damage.
• Quality: MEMS oscillators benefit from SiTime’s MEMS First® and EpiSeal® processes, resulting in higher quality and reliability than quartz oscillators.
• Flexible Frequencies: SiTime MEMS oscillators can be programmed to any required frequency with high precision, allowing for customization in industrial automation.
• Streamlined Inventory: Programmable MEMS oscillators simplify inventory management by allowing various timing needs to be met with a single product. SiTime’s products can be programmed to specific frequencies and shipped quickly, facilitating efficient inventory management.
• Easier Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Compliance: Many SiTime MEMS products feature adjustable rise and fall times and spread-spectrum capabilities, which help meet noise emission standards more easily. The SiT9025 can be programmed for spread modulation and drive strength, simplifying compliance and accelerating market entry.

Industrial Digital Transformation Depends on MEMS Timing Devices to Deliver Reliable Performance with Precision—Even Under Stress

The demand for precision and speed in modern industrial equipment has exposed the limitations of traditional quartz oscillators. MEMS timing solutions provide a superior alternative, offering better resistance to environmental stressors, improved stability across temperatures, and enhanced power supply and EMI noise rejection. SiTime’s MEMS products deliver reliable performance in challenging conditions, making them a valuable choice for industrial automation in the age of Industry 4.0. Their programmability, durability and quality ensure manufacturers meet stringent timing requirements while managing inventory and compliance more effectively.

The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of ManufacturingTomorrow

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