Magna Power’s New Digital Product Record
Magna‑Power’s new Digital Product Record delivers a secure, always‑current online portal for every serialized product—putting documentation, software, and compliance data a single click away.
From Floppy Disks to the Cloud — A Brief History
Back in the early 1990s, before Magna‑Power even had a website, product documentation shipped on floppy disks that I distinctly remember my father duplicating by hand on the weekends and labeling with a LaserJet printer. Those disks held NI LabWindows/CVI drivers and our own control panel software for the PQ Series paired with the SBC488a—providing one of the industry’s first computer‑controlled DC power supply solutions.
As orders grew and technologies evolved, floppies were replaced by CDs, created in our own ten disc CD duplicator in the office, then most recently USB sticks, created by the hundreds in production, using a Python script we wrote that pulled the latest documentation and software from version control. Eventually, customers’ security policies banned removable media altogether, and we knew it was time for something better.
Leveraging the same custom web infrastructure that drives our product commerce, configurators, and service portal, we set out to transform those static records into a dynamic, always‑current online Product Records for every product.
Introducing the Digital Product Record
Every serialized Magna‑Power product now ships with its own secure, hashed URL on magna‑power.com consolidating everything a user needs in one place:
| Product Details | Documentation & Files | Lifecycle Details |
|---|---|---|
| Model, serial, description | Datasheets & user manuals | Calibration certificates |
| Order/PO/work order numbers | Compliance documents | Test reports |
| Ship date & warranty status | Software & drivers | Service history |
| 2D CAD & 3D STEP files |
When a serialized product ships, everyone associated with the order automatically receives a Product Record email, and the same record is linked inside the original Order for quick reference.
Seamless Account Integration
Extending the same vertically‑integrated philosophy applied to our manufacturing, we’re now unifying every customer‑facing touchpoint inside a single secure portal. Following the launch of our custom e‑commerce platform and service management system—tying together quoting, ordering, and support under one login—the digital Product Record is the next step.
Within the account portal, there are a number of ways a user can link their product:
- Automatic linking – The user's magna power.com account associated with the order is automatically linked to the Product Record.
- One click association – Anyone with the hashed URL can add that product to their own account using a link on the Product Record page.
- Self-service claiming – If the original email is lost—or the unit is resold—users can claim ownership by entering the serial and work order numbers printed on the product label (original order data remains private).
The new Product Record replaces outdated physical media with a living, secure knowledge base that travels with every Magna-Power product for life. It cuts e-waste, satisfies IT security policies, and—most importantly—gives our customers instant access to everything they need to keep their systems running at peak performance.
What’s Next
Soon, HTML product documentation will include version selectors, allow users to select the version of documentation that is associated with the product's firmware.
While new shipments already receive Digital Product Records automatically, soon we’ll be porting 30 years of product records to the same system. Over the coming months, virtually every Magna‑Power unit ever built will get its own digital Product Record, giving original owners and second‑life users the same one‑click access to data, software, and service history.