Digital Products & Services: Digitalisation with mobile devices

ecom, a brand of Pepperl+Fuchs, presents its comprehensive product portfolio. Special focus this year is on the new product line “Digital products & services”.

In the industry of the future, the collection and analysis of production data has an important role to play. To enable IoT applications and machine learning, this data needs to be collected, analysed and managed in an orderly way. This is a process that requires insight and is placed deeper and deeper into the system. If possible, this proceeds in real time and with low latency. With the integration of cyber-physical systems into production, the boundaries between traditional IT and OT have become increasingly blurred. Unfortunately, these systems are still largely open and, despite all attempts at standardisation, not homogeneous.
Optimising production processes requires solutions that decentralise and facilitate data processing and management. Mobile devices that are integrated into the production process through comprehensive mobile device management not only function as a digital gateway, they can also be deployed in a networked system through dedicated applications and a wide range of functions, from cameras to worker protection. The latter is especially important in hazardous working environments and with individuals who regularly work alone. The devices must therefore not only be particularly robust, but also provide effective protection for mobile workers - both in a company and in hazardous environments.

With this in mind, specially designed mobile devices such as ecom's Smartphone Smart-Ex® 02 offer several advantages. Besides robustness, high ergonomics and great ease of use, the sensors combined with the corresponding software guarantee the necessary protection for lone workers as stipulated in the DGUV regulation BGR-139. The worker can send out an emergency call via the device's software programme, or an emergency call button. Thus, lone workers are reliably protected. Thanks to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons specifically designed for hazardous areas, employees can be located even without GPS within the walls of a building. At the same time, the intrinsically safe Android smartphone acts as a mobile hub: the system supports 21 different LTE frequency bands and comes without simlock. Globally valid Ex certificates and local regulatory approvals allow worldwide use of the devices. The intrinsically safe smartphone, designed for a temperature range of -20 to +60°C, is thus designed for global use even under the most extreme conditions. Moreover, this is the first device certified for Zone 1/21 and Div. 1 that obtained Google's demanding Android Enterprise Recommended Validation. This ensures consistent, easy deployment and management of the mobile solutions through hardware and operating system support and guaranteed Android upgrades. It also provides regular and timely security patches in the process. Thus, users save time and money when deploying and maintaining their devices. O pthis way, the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) is further reduced.

To ensure that data transfer is as simple as possible, it is important that mobile devices can communicate with enterprise mobility management (EMM) systems quickly and easily. For mobile devices, this means having comprehensive certification to support hardware and software of EMM systems. ecom guarantees both thanks to certification by both Android Enterprise and certifications by the market leaders in device management systems. With suitable software and apps, businesses can be worry-free networked without being limited to one technology. A solution like this allows centralised management and protection of data and devices to fit into any infrastructure. The management software for mobile devices therefore enables faster device deployment, in addition to secure and fast connection to operational systems. In addition, apps and operating systems can be automatically installed, updated and managed.