Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 Zone 1/21 5G Smartphone

Overview

The Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 is a 5G intrinsically safe Android smartphone certified for Zone 1/21 and Division 1 hazardous locations, carrying the order code SMART-EX03-DZ1*. It belongs to the third-generation Smart-Ex family developed by Ecom Instruments, the Pepperl+Fuchs Group company dedicated to explosion-protected mobile devices. Where many rugged phones stop at Zone 2, the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 is approved with Ex ia protection for areas where explosive gas atmospheres or combustible dust clouds are likely to occur during normal operation, so operators, inspectors and maintenance crews can carry one device for voice, data, photography, scanning and lone worker alarms right up to the process equipment.

Seven Star LLC supplies the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 to operators, EPC contractors and maintenance service companies across the Sultanate of Oman and the GCC. As a trusted supplier with engineering support in Muscat, we help project teams select the correct variant, accessory set and charging infrastructure, and we deliver each unit with its certificate pack so that site safety departments in Muscat, Sohar, Duqm and Salalah can approve the device for permit-to-work use without delay.

Operating Principle of the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1

Intrinsic safety works by limiting the electrical and thermal energy that any circuit inside the phone can release, even under fault conditions, to a level below the ignition energy of the surrounding atmosphere. In the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 this applies to the 4400 mAh lithium-ion battery, the charging contacts, the radio modules and every exposed interface. The resulting ATEX marking is II 2G Ex ia IIC T4 Gb for gas and II 2D Ex ia IIIC T135 °C Db for dust, valid for ambient temperatures from −20 °C to +60 °C. Group IIC covers the most easily ignited gases, including hydrogen and acetylene, so the device is not restricted to hydrocarbon-only areas.

Because protection is built into the electronics rather than into a heavy flameproof housing, the phone remains compact at 400 g and 172 × 84 mm. In practice this means the handset behaves like a modern smartphone for the user while satisfying the Zone 1 requirement that no spark or hot surface can arise from a damaged battery, a dropped device or a short circuit at the USB-C or charging pads. The same certified hardware platform is covered by IECEx, UKCA, INMETRO, KCC, IA (MASC), CML (Japan) and ANZEx approvals, plus NEC/CEC listing for Class I, II and III Division 1.

Engineering Design of the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1

Inside the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 sits a Qualcomm Dragonwing QCM6490 processor with 3GPP Release 15 support, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. The 6-inch capacitive multitouch display, with 1080 × 2160 resolution and Gorilla glass, can be operated while wearing gloves. A 13 MP main camera with LED flash and phase detection autofocus is optimised for barcode scanning, while a 5 MP front camera supports video calls; a version without camera is available for sites where photography is prohibited. The sensor set includes a fingerprint reader in the power button, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, barometer, proximity and ambient light sensors.

Mechanically the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 is sealed to IP68 according to EN/IEC 60529 and tested to MIL-STD-810H. Charging is via USB Type-C or through robust charging pads for docking stations, and a 3.5 mm audio interface supports standard headsets as well as dedicated push-to-talk accessories. Programmable push-to-talk, alarm and multifunction keys sit on the housing so they can be found by touch. The scope of delivery covers the phone, Li-ion battery, charger, USB cable, screwdriver and documentation.

Key Features

The Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 combines hazardous area approval with current enterprise mobility features:

• Zone 1/21 and Division 1 approval with Ex ia IIC T4 Gb and Ex ia IIIC T135 °C Db markings under ATEX and IECEx.
• 5G NR, 4G LTE, 3G and 2G connectivity with Wi-Fi 6E readiness, Bluetooth 5.2 with BLE, and NFC.
• Dual SIM operation using an eSIM together with a nano-SIM for public and private network profiles.
• Android 15 as an Android Enterprise Recommended verified device with Google ARCore readiness.
• Security updates every 90 days until November 2032 and Common Criteria certification for IT security reviews.
• Dedicated lone worker protection (LWP) and alarm buttons alongside a programmable push-to-talk key.
• Multi-constellation positioning with GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou for location-aware workflows.
• PTCRB and GCF certification for broad carrier compatibility, with an optional service contract.

Industrial Applications

In upstream oil and gas, the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 lets wellsite operators and production technicians record readings, photograph defects and open digital work orders while standing inside the Zone 1 envelope around wellheads, separators and gas compression skids. Refinery and petrochemical maintenance teams use the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 for permit-to-work checks, isolation confirmation and mobile access to P&IDs, and its lone worker functions are valuable on remote desert assets and offshore platforms where personnel often work alone. Hydrogen and ammonia projects benefit from the IIC gas group rating.

Gas processing plants, LNG trains, tank farms and fuel terminals in the Sohar and Duqm industrial zones, and chemical and fertiliser facilities near Salalah, can standardise on a single handset for operations, maintenance and HSE staff. Seven Star LLC supports these projects as a trusted supplier, coordinating accessories such as desktop chargers, holsters and push-to-talk headsets, and offering engineering support in Muscat for fleet roll-outs. Teams already using the Ecom Tab-Ex 03 DZ1 hazardous area tablet can pair the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 with it for a common Android and MDM environment.

Technical Specifications

The table below lists the main data for the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 taken from the manufacturer datasheet:

For lower-risk areas, compare it with the Smart-Ex 03 DZ2 for Zone 2/22, or with the larger-screen Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 WWAN tablet.

How to Order

To request a formal quotation for the Ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1, send your RFQ with the required quantity, camera or camera-free version and accessory list to the Seven Star LLC instrumentation division. We can advise on current availability and lead time, share the technical datasheet for download, and coordinate certificate documentation for your site approval process. Seven Star LLC supplies Ecom hazardous area mobile devices to customers throughout Oman and the GCC, backed by engineering support in Muscat.