Compaction equipment specialist Hamm recently won the prestigious Good Design Award 2022 given by the Chicago Athenaeum for its two latest compactor series – the HC CompactLine series and the HC series.
The Wirtgen Group company said this bring the total of internationally recognised design and innovation awards it has received for its successful products and developments since 1996 to 40.

A statement from Hamm said that well-designed construction machinery “allows the operator to be able to understand all the functions effortlessly and to operate the machine intuitively”. This brings the associated advantages of increased safety, efficiency and comfort.

Dr. Axel Römer, Head of Research and Development at Hamm, said: "We have been harmonising ergonomics, functionality and aesthetics for over 30 years; for us, not just pure performance, but also the health of the operator and ease of handling are right at the top of the agenda."

This philosophy was also significant in the development of the now award-winning compactor series, said the company.

The two latest compactor series in the Hamm portfolio received awards in the "Industrial" category. The renowned design award has been presented for 75 years and is one of the world's most important awards for ground-breaking design. The Good Design Award honours high-quality products which stand out thanks to their impressive form, function and aesthetics.

In awarding the prize, the jury evaluates the product in terms of level of innovative of the design, new technologies, form, materials, construction, concept, function, utility, and energy efficiency, as well as sensitivity to the environment.

Describing its HC series, Hamm said it is “straightforward, clearly structured and exceptionally dynamic”. The manufacturer added that the HC series (85 kW/11 t – 160 kW/25 t) reinterprets the “tried-and-tested style elements” of the Hamm brand.

“Visually, the new shape of the engine hood stands out in particular: This gives the compactor exterior real muscle; the geometry provides excellent visibility to the rear. Both the interior and the operator's platform provide plenty of freedom of movement,” said Hamm.

The jury agreed that "the ambience of the new cab gives the driver a completely new feeling of space," and deemed that "the spacious cab sets new standards for visibility and workstation design."

The space can be ideally utilised thanks to a comfort seat with a new rotating and sliding mechanism. The design of the workstation follows the "Easy Drive" operating concept, whereby all operating elements are clearly laid out and language-neutral. Accordingly, the compactors can be operated intuitively and easily. The vibrations and the noise level for the operator are significantly reduced compared to previous models thanks to the materials and the design.

A comfortable heating and air-conditioning system in the cab keeps the windows free of fog and contribute to the outstanding visibility. Storage compartments, ventilation, and lighting round off the level of comfort offered by this well-designed construction machinery.

Hamm said that new concepts in engine and vibration management allowed it to increase the power considerably and at the same time reduce exhaust gas emissions, noise and vibrations. Moreover, the design supports the overall performance of the HC series, thanks to the newly designed front vehicle, for example "with a significantly greater clearance between the drum and the crossbeam, where material cannot accumulate," according to the specialist jury. This means that downtimes for cleaning the drum are a thing of the past, while productivity increases. Moreover, customers benefit from an extensive range of options and can adapt each roller ideally to their individual requirements and areas of application.

The new compactors from Hamm are equipped for the digitalisation of the construction industry. The jury added: "The HC series compactors are 'digital ready' and so meet future construction site quality and communication requirements. Using the Smart Doc app from Hamm, even less-experienced drivers can immediately determine which areas have been sufficiently compacted and which areas still require compaction. Furthermore, the compactors can communicate, even with digital applications from third parties, via a standardised interface."

The HC CompactLine (55.4 kW/5 t – 7 t), which also won an award, is in the small compactor segment. Particularly noteworthy is the 7t HC 70i which, at 4.40m in length, is the world's shortest compactor in this weight class.

Combined with the three-point articulation and the extremely short wheelbase, this results in excellent driving and handling characteristics. In their reasoning, the jury stressed that the compactors, thanks to their compact form, short wheelbase and a remarkable gradeability, are perfectly suited for compaction in narrow construction sites and in trenches.

The jurors also emphasised that the HC CompactLine series "is extremely easy to operate thanks to the standard intuitive operation, embedded in an ergonomically optimised workstation".