If machines in the processing industry are to deliver peak performance, they need to do one thing above all else: simply run. However, the performance of a machine stands or falls with its operability. With the introduction of Donect for future machine generations, we have created a user interface that noticeably simplifies demanding everyday tasks and makes them more efficient. This achievement has now been recognized by the German Design Council with the internationally renowned German Design Award – an award for design quality with an attitude that creates new perspectives.

Donect: Effortless Machine Control 

Our award-winning Donect operating concept eliminates complicated hierarchies. As a unified user interface for future Doppstadt machines, the system intelligently differentiates between various users, precisely assigns tasks, and offers clearly structured operating levels on a shared interface. Its visual logic and clear prompts ensure that operators can orient themselves immediately.

Crucially for practical use, frequent basic functions are robust and can be operated directly on the machine, even while wearing gloves. For even greater efficiency, safety, and convenience, we have integrated support for smartphones and tablets: all display content can be flexibly transmitted to the cab or the office. This allows users to conveniently and safely monitor, adjust, and evaluate the machine from a distance. That is our definition of effortless recycling in the digital age.

Strategic Design: Values You Can See

The success of Donect is based on a holistic and consistent design strategy established at Doppstadt by our designer, Florian Valentin. While the appearance of our machines was previously shaped by the individual signatures of various employees, the 33-year-old now focuses on a unified, forward-looking style.

It translates the hard-earned trust built over more than 60 years of company history, as well as values such as durability and practical relevance, directly into a modern, honest design language. The fact that this combination of tradition and future-proof design works is proven not only by the current German Design Award for Donect, but also by previous accolades such as the iF Design Award and the Red Dot Design Award for the INVENTHOR 6.2.