Hermes Award 2026: Schaeffler wins with actuators

Hannover Messe Schaeffler Platform Wins the Hermes Award 2026

2026-04-20 Source: Deutsche Messe | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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For over 20 years, the Hermes Award of Deutsche Messe has been the award for outstanding innovations at the Hannover Messe. Now Schaeffler can be pleased ...

The decision has been made! Schaeffler won the Hermes Award 2026 (certificate and trophy on the left). As for the Start-up Award, this was won by the Swiss battery tinkerers from BTRY (certificate and trophy on the right).(Image: German Trade Fair) — The decision has been made! Schaeffler won the Hermes Award 2026 (certificate and trophy on the left). As for the Start-up Award, this was won by the Swiss battery tinkerers from BTRY (certificate and trophy on the right).
(Image: German Trade Fair)

Schaeffler has won this year's Hermes Award at the opening ceremony for Hannover Messe 2026, which took place on April 19, according to Deutsche Messe, the event organizer. This time, the jury was impressed by a platform that offers highly integrated actuators specially designed for the joints of humanoid robots. The platform comprises highly efficient servo-electric motors with integrated power electronics and associated encoders, according to the statement. Depending on customer requirements, it can be configured with 2-stage planetary or shaft gearboxes. When developing the actuators, the aim was to minimize installation space and achieve a high continuous torque, as the company emphasizes. Compared to the latest actuators of this type on the market, the installation space has been reduced by around 20 percent. And to guarantee a low temperature level at high torques, the so-called copper fill factor in the frameless PSM machine has been increased. Last but not least, the actuator platform significantly reduces system costs compared to others, which is a prerequisite for the rapid scaling of service robotics.

Schaeffler's Actuator Platform Is Considered a Key Factor in Humanoids

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Hanselka, President and CEO of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (FHG) and head of the jury, comments: "The use of robots and cobots in industrial and commercial applications is creating a rapidly growing future market. Systemic actuator platforms play a central role in the scaling of service robotics. And the one developed by Schaeffler can be described as a key component in humanoid robotics." It will have a lasting impact on the industrial value chain due to its high force effect in a confined space and its end-to-end design. It is also highly relevant for numerous other areas of application. Hanselka says he is convinced that it will give the company a key role in the growing market for humanoid robots. And there's more to the award theme ...

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