Press Release
Silver A' Design Award in Vehicle Parts, Auto Accessories and Care Products Design Goes to Amo Multifunctional Folklift Armrest by Zhenghai Shang and Jing Zhao
Zhenghai Shang and Jing Zhao recognized for vehicle parts, auto accessories and care products design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 22, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Silver A' Design Award in the Vehicle Parts, Auto Accessories and Care Products Design category for Amo Multifunctional Folklift Armrest by Zhenghai Shang and Jing Zhao, designed for Heli Forschungs- und Entwicklungszentrum Europe GmbH. The recognition forms part of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
The Silver A' Design Award Explained
The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
More About Amo Multifunctional Folklift Armrest
Amo is a multifunctional armrest designed for forklift cabs. The armrest gathers control buttons within a compact zone, so the operator can perform frequent actions with small finger and wrist movements instead of large arm motions. The curved surface supports the forearm and follows the shape of the hand. A replaceable front control module can be exchanged quickly to match different driver habits, which reduces the number of armrest types needed. Amo is made from modular injection molded parts with standardized interfaces.
Award Record
With this recognition, Zhenghai Shang and Jing Zhao is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Vehicle Parts, Auto Accessories and Care Products Design Award
The A' Vehicle Accessory Design Award is an international industrial design competition recognizing good vehicle accessories by designers and brands worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to vehicle accessory designers, auto parts manufacturers, automotive engineers and car care product designers from all countries. Typical entries include car seat covers, GPS systems, roof racks, floor mats, steering wheel covers and car audio. The awarded vehicle accessory designs are published at https://desingers.org/design-category/vehicle-accessory
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://desingers.org/179645
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/179645
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!179645
- Laureate Profile: https://desingers.org/d/371539
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Amo Multifunctional Folklift Armrest
- Function
- Multifunctional Folklift Armrest
- Category
- Vehicle Parts, Auto Accessories and Care Products Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Automotive and Manufacturing
- Colors
- White, Dark Slate Gray, Gray, Dim Gray and Black
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Heli Forschungs- und Entwicklungszentrum Europe GmbH
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Zhenghai Shang and Jing Zhao
- Country
- Germany
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #179645
Credits
- Team
- Zhenghai Shang, Jing Zhao, Ping Wang, Yingchun Bai, Wei Li, Jie Wang, Yang Meng, Chao Hu, Jianxiong Jia, jiong Ye, Xuemin Zhang
- Image Credits
- Heli Forschungs- und Entwicklungszentrum Europe GmbH
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Heli Forklift cab intelligent control system redefines forklift operation by enhancing comfort and efficiency. Its replaceable front control module adapts easily to regional forklift driver’s habits, reducing development costs. The ergonomic curved form fits the hand naturally, improving long-term comfort. Integrated control buttons allow operators to perform multiple actions with minimal movement, boosting efficiency and safety through human-centered, modular design.
- Inspiration
- Amo was inspired by fatigue caused by traditional forklift armrests in long working hours. Valve-lever controls require large repetitive arm movements, leading to physical strain. Meanwhile, diverse driver habits force manufacturers to produce multiple armrest types, wasting resources. Through an ergonomic form with integrated controls and a replaceable front module, AMO adapts to different users while improving comfort, efficiency, and sustainability.
- Research
- This project is based on ergonomic studies, field observations, and user interviews with forklift operators. Motion analysis revealed excessive arm travel and repetitive strain in traditional lever systems, while user research highlighted diverse control preferences. Findings informed an integrated control layout and modular front-end system, reducing movement, improving comfort, and enabling adaptable interaction within a single platform.
- Challenge
- The main challenge was balancing standardization with individual adaptability. Forklift operators have significantly different control habits, yet the design needed to reduce product variation and manufacturing complexity. Integrating diverse interaction preferences into a single ergonomic interface, while maintaining intuitive use, precision, and durability, required extensive iteration. Developing a modular system that allows flexible control configurations without compromising structural integrity or usability was the most critical and complex aspect of the project.
- Realization and Technology
- The armrest is produced using modular injection-molded components, achieving precise ergonomic contours and integrated button layouts. The replaceable front module uses durable, lightweight materials to adapt to different driver habits. Advanced assembly processes and standardized interfaces enable efficient mass production, reduce material waste, and ensure a high-quality, sustainable industrial design solution.
- Operation and Interaction
- The armrest enables an intuitive rest-to-control workflow. The driver places the forearm on the ergonomic surface, with all key functions accessible within a compact control zone. High-frequency operations are executed through minimal finger and wrist movements, reducing arm fatigue. Controls are logically arranged and tactically differentiated for fast, distraction-free use. A replaceable front module allows quick switching between control types to match user preferences. This unified platform improves comfort, efficiency, and adaptability while minimizing resource redundancy.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in April 2025 in Germany and will achieve mass production in May 2026 in China.
- Specifications
- Fingertip model: 545mmx178mmx175mm
- Keywords
- folklift operation; armrest; modular; ergonomics
