IFOY MGZN 2022 EN

IFOY
MGZN
THE
IFOY
TESTERS
When they enter the test hall, it gets quiet at
the finalists' booths. The IFOY AWARD testers
are feared, because their judgment counts.
Innovation checkers
and material handling
specialists at the Chair of Technical
Logistics at TU Dresden:
Prof. Dr. Thorsten Schmidt (top) ...
BY ANITA WÜRMSER
Is it a real innovation or a successful
development? How do the performance
values compare to the
competition? What about customer
benefits, manufacturing details and
features? Nowhere is there more
testing and inspecting than at the
IFOY AWARD. Those nominated for
the final must undergo a three-stage
audit. The results give the jurors important
clues for their vote.
... and Martin Anders.
This year, four logistics scientists and the
two IFOY testers put the finalists through
their paces in Hall 3 of IFOY partner Messe
Dortmund. In total, the experts inspected
and tested 14 products and solutions
from 12 manufacturers over six days.
Part 1 of the IFOY Audit was the practice-oriented
IFOY Test by Dutch trade journalist
Theo Egberts. It measures the hard facts
and compares them with the relevant competitive
products. The vehicles undergo individually
tailored driving or functional tests,
including the IFOY Test protocol comprising
around 80 criteria, which determines,
among other things, the economy and energy
efficiency, sustainability, safety and
ergonomics of the equipment. In the software
and automation categories as well as
in the warehouse solutions, IFOY juror Bernd
Maienschein scrutinis es the finalists and
compiles a test report in each case.
The second part of the IFOY Audit is the scientific
innovation check. It is conducted by
the Dortmund Fraunhofer Institute for Material
Flow and Logistics (IML), the Stuttgart-based
Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing
Engineering and Automation (IPA)
and the Chair of Technical Logistics at the
University of Dresden.
The IFOY Innovation Check team checked
the nominees on the spot in the hall in
terms of market relevance, customer benefits,
type of execution and degree of innovation.
In addition, the scientists verified the
innovations stated by the manufacturers
and evaluate in a technology comparison
whether they are innovative further developments,
successful new developments
or genuine innovations. A five-point rating
scale is used as a guide: "non-existent,"
"less," "balanced," "good" and "very good".
IFOY juror Bernd Maienschein is the new
tester reporter in the team. He
scrutinise s the nominees in the
software and automation
categories as well as the
warehouse solutions.
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