“Support from EV charging solution concept to mass production”

Provides products from over 80 suppliers including semiconductors
Customizable products based on Evernet design

[Editor's Note] Avnet has expanded its capabilities to support customers with the latest and most advanced technologies in line with the flow of technological change. It also acts as an extended team for customers to utilize its deep technical and supply chain expertise, thereby helping customers maximize their return on investment. Our magazine met with Avnet Korea CEO Yongchun Kim to hear about the domestic market strategy and the electric vehicle charging solution that it recently began offering in earnest.

▲Kim Yong-chun, CEO of Evernet Korea

■ Please introduce the electric vehicle charging solution to Avnet Korea and Avnet.

Avnet Korea is the Korean branch of Avnet Worldwide. Based on the U.S. standard, it has contracts with approximately 1,400 suppliers, including semiconductor companies. In Korea, we provide products from about 80 suppliers, including electronic products including semiconductors, passive components and connectors, and support mass production and after-sales service for all products, including technical support. Many of the suppliers that Avnet has have products targeting electric vehicles. We continuously support related products and support customer projects from technology to sales and delivery.

■ What are the special features of Avnet?

Avnet has over 300 offices around the world, is involved in many engineering communities, and has a wealth of engineers with a 1:1 ratio of sales to engineers. The Avnet Design Service design team supports various designs in 7 regions in Asia. Based on Avnet's designs, customers can customize products and manufacture and provide Raspberry Pi, industrial computers, servers, etc. Avnet's unique advantage is that it allows customers to create their own customized systems more easily.

■ How is Avnet approaching electric vehicle charging solutions?

We are trying to provide more support to the electric vehicle sector by supporting software and field customer service that manufacturers cannot provide. Electric vehicles contain many electronic products including semiconductors. Avnet is following this trend and providing support from concept to mass production.

■ Trends in electric vehicle charging efficiency development

As semiconductor technology advances, efficiency will increase. Silicon carbide (SiC) chips have better thermal efficiency than conventional MOSFETs and IGBTs, and they dissipate much less energy. As technology advances, the amount of wasted energy is expected to decrease significantly.

■ What is Avnet Korea’s domestic market strategy?

Avnet supports not only specific segments but also overall segments based on 1,300 to 1,400 franchise manufacturers worldwide. Avnet has been known as an agency that creates business based on technical support since its early days. Because of this history, it has many engineers and has a strategy to support customers from concept to mass production and after-sales service. One of Avnet's sales strategies is to maintain relationships that have been established through this strategy.

■ Do you have a plan to prevent hacking problems across industries?

Semiconductor companies are also introducing their own Security Function systems and can prevent hacking within the system itself, but Avnet also has OS-related solutions that can prevent hacking in the cloud. Avnet has over 400 software engineers, so it can develop applications and create systems that link to the cloud.

■ A word to e4ds readers

Since Avnet serves a variety of segments, we believe customers will be able to easily find solutions that implement the features they want. Avnet will support products in various fields, from idea to end product.