Since Shapeways is on the journey of ‘coming residence’, we needed to get to know the those who make the magic occur right here in Eindhoven. Each couple of weeks we’ll be talking to one of many staff throughout the enterprise. Some have been right here for a few years, others are fairly new however all of them share a ardour for making, bettering and supporting one another. This week we caught up with Tistou Geenen, our ‘Steady Enchancment Engineer’ to seek out out what he does, what motivates him and what he thinks makes for an awesome Shapie!
“There’s no such factor as a typical day,” says Tistou, Steady Enchancment Engineer at Shapeways’ Eindhoven facility. “On daily basis begins with a team-wide assembly… if one thing attention-grabbing is occurring, then that will probably be my focus for that day.”
Tistou (or as everybody calls him, Ties) performs a novel position at Shapeways. Formally, he’s a staff of 1. Unofficially, you’ll discover him anyplace and in all places.
“I’ve the liberty to prioritise the place to try a course of or see if we will make one thing extra environment friendly or automate one thing,” he explains. “However as quickly as that call is made, I’ve to work along with the staff that’s already doing that course of… so in observe, there’s loads of teamwork.”
Defining steady enchancment
At its coronary heart, his position is about ensuring the processes within the manufacturing unit run as effectively as potential. That may imply automation, knowledge visualization, or high quality assurance — and sometimes all three in the identical day. “The top product that we produce is the results of the product going via a set of processes,” he says. “So making these processes go sooner, extra effectively, or ensuring that they’re extra constant or extra top quality will all immediately influence the top product.”
However what stands out in dialog with Tistou isn’t simply what he does, however it’s how he does it. His technical mindset is matched by a transparent respect for the folks round him. “In my expertise, the staff often is aware of finest,” he says. “We’ve had a number of situations that data-wise one thing appeared like a good suggestion, however then as quickly as you discuss with the staff… they’ve at the least 10 explanation why it’s not a good suggestion!”
These interactions are usually not roadblocks, as a substitute Tistou sees them as the trail to higher options. “Ultimately you come to a course of enchancment or an automation that actually works. So it’s tremendous helpful to incorporate the staff within the course of as properly.”
Apply makes progress
Tistou began at Shapeways whereas nonetheless in class, working in manufacturing. After ending his research in utilized arithmetic, he returned full-time and was supplied the prospect to attempt one thing new. “I didn’t actually acknowledge the chance that was right here for me. It was actually the administration that reached out and stated, ‘hey, we expect you’d be a very good match for this’… I had no thought what being a steady enchancment engineer would entail or how that will look. So I wanted loads of steerage at first. However I positively received it.”
Since then, he’s grown into the position and made it his personal. “I believe you actually should be versatile. Since we’re working within the additive trade, day-after-day is completely different. On daily basis you have got completely different fashions for various prospects that pose completely different challenges. That may be tremendous thrilling, and that additionally implies that you actually should be in your toes.”
He thrives on it. “I’ve slightly little bit of a aggressive nature,” he says. “So I can be aggressive in opposition to the method. I actually like if a quantity goes up… actually seeing that influence, and having the information to see if that is really working — that’s actually an enormous driver for me.”
One among his proudest examples? “We now have some processes that we began work on three years in the past… that had been completed day-after-day by 4 folks. It was additionally perhaps not probably the most enjoyable work. If you happen to take a look at it proper now, the identical course of is completed by one individual in half a day, and it’s pretty pleasurable. And people 4 folks can now deal with one thing else that actually drives us ahead.”
Progress should be aligned with folks
It’s simple to imagine steady enchancment is all about pace and effectivity, however Tistou’s method can also be about tradition and expertise. “It’s a driver for me, however I believe it’s a driver for the staff as properly. There’s a number of days that I’ll simply placed on my work sneakers and go and work in manufacturing… to get sense and understanding of what’s working properly, what is just not working properly.”
“There’s no one telling anyone, ‘hey, that is the way it’s completed and there’s no room to have an opinion’. It’s principally the opposite means round… we wish the folks which are within the course of day-after-day to face up and say, hey, I believe we will do that higher.”
That sense of shared function runs all through the Eindhoven web site. “We share this large accountability of getting the product out to the client day-after-day,” he says. “So although you may be a small piece of the puzzle… if push involves shove, and we’d like you to do one thing else for a day to guarantee that we meet our promise to the client, then now we have to work as a staff and guarantee that we alter issues up.”
So what sort of individual thrives at Shapeways?
“I believe it’s worthwhile to be very enthusiastic and pushed to wish to be taught as a lot as you’ll be able to,” says Tistou. “In fact your position is essential… however the folks that actually thrive are the those who additionally assume ‘what’s adjoining to my position, and the way can I find out about these processes as properly?’”
On daily basis may look completely different for Tistou, however the aim stays the identical: assist the staff ship higher elements, sooner, whereas making the method extra rewarding for everybody concerned. “If you’ll find one thing that delivers a greater product to the client sooner, but additionally makes the entire manufacturing course of extra pleasurable… then the staff will probably be totally behind you.”
You possibly can comply with together with the Shapeways Crew Highlight sequence to seek out out extra in regards to the staff behind the scenes.
