Scholpp Powerattacks forklift market
18 July 2012Crane hire veteran turned inventor Klaus Scholpp has been awarded with a Red Dot Award in product design for his power-free skate product, Powerattack MTC 25 CC, intended to replace forklifts.
The innovative Powerattack loadmover moves loads on passive, unpowered skates, designed to be used in confined indoor spaces, particularly in the machinery moving and plant relocation industries.
Scholpp said its product was selected out of 4,515 designs for its fine design language in the product category of industry and artisanry.
Formerly called PowerCat until Caterpiller forced a name change, Powerattack MTC 25 CC was launched in 2007.
Scholpp designed the skate to compete on efficiency, versatility, ease of transport and cost.
To use PowerAttack, a steerable skate in front is fitted with an adaptor to give a turning connection.
PowerAttack is connected via an adaptor to the skate. The "landing gear" is folded underneath and held in place by magnet.
The length of PowerAttack, which can be telescoped 2- times by each 250mm, acts as an adjustable lever to reduce the force required to move weight of a machine on the skates.
The drive wheels that drive and manoeuvre the load are powered by either a 230 or 110 volt electric motor or by rechargeable batteries.
Dr Peter Zec, CEO of the red dot design award, said: "With their performances, the laureates did not only demonstrate an extraordinary design quality but they also showed that design is an integral part of innovative product solutions.
"At this high level, the winners are able to increase their potential for success on the market considerably by purposefully using our design prize."
