How Thales is Going ‘All Smartphone’ in its Factories

A smartphone in the factory? The idea might come as a surprise, especially in an industrial environment as sensitive as that of Thales. And yet, in recent years, the group's factories have become pioneers in the digitalization of industry: computers are gradually being replaced by tablets and telephones - which can't make phone calls.

Called SmartMobility, the project, which is being implemented with the support of Inetum, aims to integrate mobility at the heart of production processes, while guaranteeing a level adapted to the growing need for mobility in factories, without compromising on cybersecurity. A major challenge, but one that is already bearing fruit.

Digitalization in Industry: A Strategic Challenge

“As part of its Thales Towards 2030 strategic plan, the Group is facing the challenge of strong growth in the years ahead. In response, the Industry & Services function has defined a strategic vision, Thales Industry of the future (TIOF), built around four key levers, including digital manufacturing. By leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies, industrial teams aim to significantly optimize operational performance,” explained Antoine Billon, Tribe leader Industry. It was against this backdrop that SmartMobility was born in 2021, to meet the growing mobility needs of teams on production sites. “The idea is simple: to replace traditional PCs with smartphones and tablets, which can be connected to external screens, thus offering employees the best of both worlds, mobile and real-time access to essential data while retaining a PC experience,” summarized Vincent Turquet, Product Owner at Thales and head of the project.

Before launching the system at a pilot site in Cholet, the team identified the main areas for improvement: operators were wasting precious time going back and forth between their work area and the computer stations. “Some things are quite obvious. An operator explained to me: ‘I start at this workbench, go to the test bench, copy my values onto paper, then come back to enter them into the computer’,” said Joseph Muckensturm, senior consultant at Inetum Consulting. Getting access to information (production plans, production orders, logistics data) was sometimes an obstacle course, not to mention repetitive manual tasks such as copying data onto paper.

Turn a Smartphone into a PC with Zero Clicks

By 2023, the project had been extended to some thirty sites in France. It was for this strategic deployment that Vincent Turquet called on Inetum Consulting, to bring a logic of agility and a detailed understanding of users. “What makes us different is our know-how in the field. We know the processes and can talk to all levels of the hierarchy,” explained Joseph Muckensturm.

The SmartMobility solution relies in particular on Samsung's DeX functionality: by connecting the smartphone to an external display, mouse and keyboard, it transforms into a real Android-based PC. The employee returns to his or her usual work environment, with the added benefit of mobility. “Young people started their digital experience with smartphones, and older people also have one, which facilitates adoption,” noted Vincent Turquet.

With SmartMobility, Thales becomes the first major industrial company to switch massively to an all-smartphone environment in its factories. An unprecedented transformation on this scale, it redefines the standards of digitalization in Industry 4.0. This pioneering character earned the project a presentation at Mobile World Congress 2023, at the invitation of Samsung.

Rapid Adoption, Measurable Productivity Gains

Initial results are encouraging: Thales has noted an immediate productivity gain of 4%, or around 18 minutes a day. “Overall, we're getting very good feedback. Some operators are telling us that they wouldn't want to go back to the old way of working,” stressed Joseph Muckensturm. Operators save time on tasks such as inventory, and appreciate the flexibility offered. Vincent Turquet sees potential beyond industry: “There are many use cases at Thales where this approach can help us gain value, in after-sales interventions, in quality, among managers.” In addition to productivity gains, the gradual replacement of PCs by smartphones and tablets is significantly reducing energy consumption. During its lifecycle, a fixed PC emits on average the equivalent of 500kg of CO₂, compared with 60kg for a smartphone. That's an 800% reduction in emissions.

In a sector as sensitive as defense, cybersecurity remains paramount. The group has implemented draconian measures: exclusive use of Android, no personal use authorized and Internet access limited to a few sites. And finally for the smartphone: it's impossible to make phone calls. The iPhone was much more than a phone, said Steve Jobs. Today, it's everything but a phone.