Mr. Uhl, what is the difference between the 'Smart-Ex 03' smartphone that you are presenting at the SPS and its predecessor?

The 'Smart-Ex 03' is a completely new development and a big technological step forward compared to the 'Smart-Ex 02'. This 6-inch Android smartphone brings together the expertise of Pepperl+Fuchs subsidiaries Ecom Instruments as a pioneer in intrinsically safe mobile devices and Aava Mobile as an expert in industrial tablets and wireless technologies. The new smartphone is developed entirely in-house in Europe to ensure hardware and software security control. It supports modern communication standards such as Wi-Fi 6, 5G and Push-to-Talk over Cellular, or PTToC for short. This makes the smartphone suitable for use in public mobile networks and private campus networks worldwide. Secondly, with Android 13, the Qualcomm Snapdragon QCS 6490 processor and up to 128 GB of internal memory, it has the latest hardware and software, making it ideal for industrial use both inside and outside the Ex zone. It also has a capacitive 6-inch multi-touch display with a resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels, which is easy to operate even in direct sunlight or wet conditions and even when wearing gloves.

Christian Uhl: "In order to benefit from the digital transformation in potentially explosive areas, lone workers need suitable mobile devices."

© Pepperl+Fuchs

What are the challenges in developing intrinsically safe devices?

When developing intrinsically safe devices that can also be used in hazardous areas, certification in accordance with explosion protection standards is important - for example, in accordance with IECEx from an international perspective or ATEX from a European perspective. This includes a robust design to withstand falls, for example, sufficiently high IP protection against the ingress of dust or liquids, protection against electrostatic discharge and sparks and temperature management that safely dissipates the heat generated and prevents the device from overheating. To cope with everyday work in an industrial plant, it must also have an unbreakable and scratch-free display that can be operated accurately even when wearing gloves. On the software side, the integrity of the data and cyber security must also be taken into account.

What areas is the smartphone intended for?

There are application scenarios across the entire plant site, not just in the Ex zone. For example, the smartphone is suitable for video calls with remote support to assist lone workers on site in solving problems with systems. As part of predictive maintenance, live diagnostic data can be checked directly in the system on the smartphone, allowing further steps to be taken in good time before a part or an entire system fails. Our smartphone is also suitable for areas such as digital workflows, work order management, scanning, asset management or augmented reality applications - for companies in the hydrogen, oil, gas, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, energy or mining industries, for example.