Avant Tecno

Intelligent innovation drives the development of Avant Tecno’s green loaders

Close collaboration generates synergy and speed that result in saved time and cost-effectiveness. New intelligent solutions are revolutionizing the work machine industry.

Intelligent innovation drives the development of Avant Tecno’s green loaders

Close collaboration generates synergy and speed that result in saved time and cost-effectiveness. New intelligent solutions are revolutionizing the work machine industry.

Known for their innovative products and unique design, Avant Tecno has manufactured more than 50,000 loaders at their manufacturing plant in Ylöjärvi, Finland since 1991. The company has sales offices in US, UK, Germany and Brazil, and import partners in more than 55 countries.

Devecto, part of Gofore Group, is Avant Tecno’s long-time partner in developing intelligent software solutions. The collaboration started with display software for Avant’s E-series electric loaders. A deeper relationship was forged when Avant decided to introduce Bosch Rexroth’s electronic control units (ECUs) for their 700 and 800 series.

As Bosch Rexroth’s award-winning partner, Devecto was a natural choice to develop ECU software for Avant Tecno.

“Software development began in early 2019, and it was clear from the start that the shift to ECUs would increase the pace of product development. This, in turn, placed a pronounced emphasis on testing,” Devecto’s Business Manager Kimmo Rintala says.

Increased speed and greener testing with Hardware-in-the-loop systems

Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) creates a simulated environment for testing electronic control units. A complete HIL system is a device the size of a distribution board that includes the ECU, the key electronic valves of the machine and a computer that are used together to simulate the engine, actuators, driveline system and sensors of the machine.

A HIL system is a fast and efficient way for testing a device and its software.

“Utilizing only field testing for ECUs and their software is slow and difficult, and it’s not very environmentally sound. With the increasing pace of product development, the investment in HIL systems will pay itself back very quickly,” notes Antero Salojärvi, development engineer at Avant Tecno.

Making the switch to ECUs was a big step for Avant that required a new process for continuous product and software development. Devecto and Avant created a process that emphasizes automatic HIL testing and lifecycle management that ensures traceability throughout all product development.

Synergy and fast product development generate significant savings

The partnership between Avant Tecno and Devecto has deepened with each successful collaboration. Nowadays Devecto is involved in developing software that controls all systems in a loader and tools for service purposes. The latest innovation is including IoT solutions in Avant’s products.

“Thanks to a cloud-based IoT platform Avant Tecno’s customers and machine owners can receive live information on the performance of their machines and perform software updates remotely,” Devecto’s Kimmo Rintala illustrates.

As a trusted partner, Devecto plays an important role even in the early stages of product development at Avant Tecno. Currently Avant Tecno and Devecto are developing web and mobile interfaces, new testing practices and self-driving software for loaders. The partnership generates synergy and speed that translate to cost-effectiveness and saved time.

”The close collaborative partnership enables us to react quickly to rapidly changing circumstances. Together with Devecto, we were able to prevent challenges presented by the COVID situation by modifying an existing software to work with more devices with a very short notice,” Antero Salojärvi from Avant says.

Devecto is specialized in demanding software development for smart devices and intelligent machinery, and related test systems. Devecto became part of Gofore Group through acquisition in January 2022.

The close collaborative partnership enables us to react quickly to rapidly changing circumstances. Together with Devecto, we were able to prevent challenges presented by the COVID situation by modifying an existing software to work with more devices with a very short notice.

Antero Salojärvi, Development engineer, Avant Tecno

Project Highlights

Mission

To take Avant Tecno’s product development to the next level with the introduction of electronic control units.

Approach

Devecto met Avant Tecno’s needs by developing a HIL testing system that accelerated product development.

Outcome

Successful collaborations have led to a long-term partnership between Avant Tecno and Devecto. The partnership is revolutionizing the work machine industry by introducing intelligent solutions. Close collaboration between the companies saves time and money.

Expertise