Technagon, a German-based company, has specialised in the development and manufacture of high-end charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) since 2009. Winner of the Red Dot Design Award – Best of the Best 2023, Technagon’s charging stations combine advanced technology with an elegant, user-friendly design, offering innovative solutions that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. The in-house development and production guarantee maximum future security for customers using this premium charging infrastructure – at companies, in cities and municipalities, in the hospitality or real estate sector.
Advantech, a leading provider of embedded hardware and software solutions, offers a wide range of products that are used in numerous markets. From industrial automation to intelligent transport systems, Advantech is known for its reliable and innovative solutions. With a global network of offices and development centres, including major locations in Germany, Advantech ensures comprehensive technical support and short delivery times. This makes Advantech an ideal partner for companies like Technagon that depend on high-quality and reliable technologies.
Technagon’s understanding of aesthetics and quality
For Technagon, it is of paramount importance to build aesthetically pleasing charging stations from high-quality materials. This focus on design and quality appeals to all customers who want to use their charging stations in high-quality environments. Technagon’s products must therefore not only impress with their functionality, but also convey an impression of quality and value. This dual requirement places high demands on the design and the materials used, which emphasises the need for close cooperation with reliable technology partners such as Advantech
Technical basis: ROM-5721 SMARC module from Advantech
A central element of Technagon’s charging generation is the ROM-5721 SMARC module from Advantech. This module is the basis of the charging controller developed in-house by Technagon. The choice of the ROM-5721 is no coincidence, but the result of a careful evaluation that takes Technagon’s specific requirements into account. The reliability, performance and flexibility of the ROM-5721 make it the ideal solution for demanding applications in the e-mobility area.
Reasons for the collaboration
There are many reasons for the successful co-operation between Technagon and Advantech. Advantech is characterised by its size and global presence, which ensures high reliability and short delivery times for its SMARC modules. These factors are crucial for Technagon as they need to ensure continuous production without interruptions – especially against the background of supply chain difficulties.
Horst Mattusch, Director Sales Central Europe at Advantech, emphasises: “Our partnership with Technagon is based on trust and the shared vision to provide innovative and reliable solutions for the EV charging market. We not only offer first-class products, but also actively support the design-in process to ensure seamless integration of our modules into Technagon’s charging stations.”
Another advantage of the collaboration is the presence of Advantech’s development centres in Germany. This enables best technical support directly on site, which greatly simplifies the design-in process of the ROM-5721 SMARC modules into Technagon’s infrastructure. The close co-operation allows technical challenges to be identified and solved quickly, shortening development cycles and reducing time-to-market for new products.
Manuel Pledl, CEO of Technagon, explains: “Our charging stations are designed to fulfil the highest demands. The decisive factor here is also the use of high-quality, state-of-the-art components that allow us to move forward with innovative technologies. Advantech provides well thought-out solutions and reliable support, making an important contribution to meeting our demand for highest quality.”
Another highlight of the collaboration is Advantech’s warehousing. In times of global supply chain problems, Technagon can count on reliable delivery of the required modules, thus avoiding production downtimes. This is a decisive competitive advantage in a booming market such as e-mobility. Advantech always has enough products in stock to be able to deliver even in times of high demand or unexpected bottlenecks.
Technical details and advantages of the ROM-5721 SMARC module
Performance and flexibility
The ROM-5721 SMARC module is at the centre of Technagon’s charging generation and offers numerous advantages. In addition to precise control of the charging station, it also ensures that all safety and performance requirements are met. By utilising Advantech’s technologies, Technagon’s charging stations can be operated efficiently and reliably.
The ROM-5721 SMARC module is characterised by its high performance and flexibility. It supports a variety of interfaces and communication protocols, which facilitates integration into different systems. This versatility is particularly important for Technagon, as its charging stations are used in different environments and scenarios.
Safety and reliability
Safety is a crucial factor in the field of e-mobility. Advantech’s ROM-5721 module, together with Technagon’s proprietary charging controller software and hardware, meets all relevant safety standards and provides comprehensive protection mechanisms to ensure safe operation of the charging stations. This includes user safety, protection against electrical overload as well as data integrity and security.
Design-in process and technical support
The design-in process is a critical step in the integration of new technologies. Advantech provides comprehensive support to ensure that the ROM-5721 module is seamlessly integrated into Technagon’s charging stations. This includes the provision of technical documentation as well as direct support from on-site experts.
Horst Mattusch explains: “Our development centres in Germany enable us to offer our customers fast and efficient support. We work closely with Technagon to ensure that all technical requirements are met, and that integration runs smoothly.”
Market advantages through technological innovation
By working with Advantech, Technagon can offer its customers technological innovations that go far beyond mere functionality. This includes, for example, the integration of IoT functions that make it possible to integrate the charging stations into more comprehensive systems and offer new services.
Future prospects of the collaboration
Expansion of the product portfolio
Technagon plans to further expand its product portfolio. This includes not only the integration of additional hardware components such as screens, but also the development of new software solutions that can improve the operation and management of the charging stations. Advantech is an important technology partner in this regard and enables the realisation of new functions such as comprehensive fleet management for charging stations or predictive maintenance applications.
IoT connection and fleet management
IoT connection offers numerous possibilities to optimise the operation of charging stations. By utilising the existing Advantech infrastructure, Technagon charging stations could be integrated into a comprehensive fleet management system. This would make it possible to monitor and manage the status and performance of each charging station in real time. In addition, by analysing the collected data, optimisation potential could be identified, and the efficiency of the entire charging system increased.
Predictive maintenance
Another promising area of application is predictive maintenance. By continuously monitoring the charging stations and analysing the operating data, potential problems can be identified and rectified at an early stage before they lead to failures. This increases the availability and reliability of the charging stations while minimising maintenance costs at the same time.
Manuel Pledl summarises the future prospects: “The collaboration with Advantech opens up numerous new opportunities for us. By integrating additional hardware and utilising advanced IoT technologies, we can offer innovative and forward-looking solutions that increase both the efficiency and reliability of our charging stations.”
A collaboration with a future
The collaboration between Technagon and Advantech is an excellent example of how cooperation between specialists from different fields can result in innovative and high-quality solutions. This collaboration will not only further improve Technagon’s products, but will also make a significant contribution to the further development of the EV infrastructure. By combining aesthetic design and cutting-edge technology, Technagon and Advantech are setting new standards in the EV charging market, offering solutions that are both functional and visually appealing.