Product of the Year 2025' competition: Schmersal wins first prize

In the 'Product of the Year' competition organised annually by the trade magazine Computer & Automation, Schmersal won first prize in the Safety & Security category for the development of a 4D model for safety-related components. Christoph Rosebrock, concept developer for data analysis and software, accepted the award on behalf of Schmersal at the 'Winner's Dinner' on 20 March 205 in Munich.

The editors of Computer & Automation magazine selected the best products from a pool of 600 and put them up for vote in the December 2024 issue. The readers of Computer & Automation were able to vote until 16 February 2025. In the end, 5600 participants voted Schmersal into first place.

At the end of last year, Schmersal presented a 4D model of its safety components for the first time: a digital twin of the AZM40 solenoid interlock and the DHS door handle system. In addition to the 3-dimensional representation (3D), the virtual image simulates all the properties and functions of the physical devices as a fourth dimension (4D). Schmersal uses the ISG-virtuos simulation software from ISG Industrielle Steuerungstechnik GmbH for the Safety 4D model.

The advantages: early error detection and optimisation and, in future, virtual commissioning of the machine even before the real machine is mechanically assembled. This saves costs and unnecessary development loops.

Schmersal is one of the first companies to have developed a digital twin for safety-related components. 

Photos: Andreas Juranits / Computer & Automation / Schmersal