Cycle (Industrial Communication)

In industrial communication, a “cycle” refers to a predefined and structured sequence of communication events within a network, ensuring the exchange of data between devices in a deterministic and predictable manner. The IO-Link Wireless protocol, for instance, employs a well-defined cycle with a 5-millisecond duration, which is divided into three sub-cycles of 1.6 milliseconds each. During this cycle, critical data is transmitted between up to 40 nodes (sensors, actuators, or I/O hubs) per Wireless Master, with downlink and uplink portions for efficient communication. This cycle structure is essential in industrial settings to maintain low latency, reliability, and deterministic behavior, ensuring that data is consistently and predictably exchanged between devices.