Texas Instruments Unveils Multiprotocol Industrial Networking Chips
The new communications module and IO-Link master let engineers run EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP and Profinet on one platform.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Semiconductors
Texas Instruments has announced the TICS100MOD, a certified communications system-on-module that supports multiple real-time Ethernet protocols, alongside the TIOM2212 dual-channel IO-Link master. Protocol selection is made at boot time through a firmware update, and preproduction TIOM2212 quantities are available now on TI.com.
Why it matters
Supporting multiple industrial networks has typically required separate hardware for each protocol, adding cost, design complexity and development time. A single platform that switches between protocols could simplify factory automation design for engineers worldwide.
The TICS100MOD is built on TI's AM2612 microcontroller and DP83826AI Ethernet physical layer and integrates two Arm Cortex-R5F cores with external memory. The TIOM2212 is compatible with TI's Sitara industrial networking SoC family and AM13Ex real-time MCUs.
The players
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments is a Dallas-based semiconductor company whose microcontrollers and industrial networking chips are widely used in factory automation and embedded systems.
The details
The TICS100MOD supports EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP and Profinet, selectable at boot time through a firmware update, while the TIOM2212 connects IO-Link devices to higher-level Industrial Ethernet networks. Texas Instruments says that with the TIOM2212 it provides every hardware layer in the IO-Link ecosystem.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: Texas Instruments announces the TICS100MOD SoM and TIOM2212 IO-Link master.
November 10-13, 2026: Multiprotocol technology is displayed at electronica in Munich, Germany, at TI's exhibit in Hall C4, booth 159.
Year-end 2026: The TICS100MOD SoM becomes available.
The Tech Race
The announcement extends TI's proprietary PRU-ICSS hardware block, already integrated into its MCUs and SoCs for deterministic industrial communication, into a multiprotocol module and a full IO-Link hardware stack. The move positions TI to compete with rivals in industrial networking by covering more protocol layers on its own silicon.
Engineers designing factory automation systems could use one module to switch between EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP and Profinet, potentially reducing the number of separate boards a design requires. Developers should note that the SoM is not yet shipping, with availability set for year-end 2026.
The takeaway
Engineers planning industrial networking projects may want to evaluate multiprotocol modules as they reduce the hardware needed to support several factory communication standards. Watching the electronica show and TI's year-end availability timeline can help teams plan upcoming designs.
What happens next
Texas Instruments will showcase its multiprotocol technology at electronica in Munich, November 10-13, 2026, and the TICS100MOD SoM is scheduled to become available by year-end 2026.
Further reading
For more on the chips driving factory networks, explore Semiconductors coverage on Wisevoter.
