Since Shapeways is on the journey of ‘coming dwelling’, we wished to get to know the people who make the magic occur right here in Eindhoven. Each couple of weeks we’ll be talking to one of many group 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. “Day by day begins with a team-wide assembly… if one thing attention-grabbing is going on, then that can be my focus for that day.”
Tistou (or as everybody calls him, Ties) performs a singular position at Shapeways. Formally, he’s a group of 1. Unofficially, you’ll discover him wherever 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 group that’s already doing that course of… so in apply, there’s lots of teamwork.”
Defining steady enchancment
At its coronary heart, his position is about ensuring the processes within the manufacturing facility run as effectively as potential. Which may imply automation, information visualization, or high quality assurance — and sometimes all three in the identical day. “The tip product that we produce is the results of the product going by way of a set of processes,” he says. “So making these processes go quicker, extra effectively, or ensuring that they’re extra constant or extra prime quality will all instantly influence the tip product.”
However what stands out in dialog with Tistou isn’t simply what he does, nevertheless it’s how he does it. His technical mindset is matched by a transparent respect for the individuals round him. “In my expertise, the group often is aware of greatest,” he says. “We’ve had a number of cases that data-wise one thing appeared like a good suggestion, however then as quickly as you speak with the group… they’ve no less than 10 the reason why it’s not a good suggestion!”
These interactions usually are not roadblocks, as a substitute Tistou sees them as the trail to raised options. “Finally you come to a course of enchancment or an automation that basically works. So it’s tremendous beneficial to incorporate the group within the course of as effectively.”
Observe makes progress
Tistou began at Shapeways whereas nonetheless at school, working in manufacturing. After ending his research in utilized arithmetic, he returned full-time and was supplied the possibility 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 predict you’d be a extremely good match for this’… I had no thought what being a steady enchancment engineer would entail or how that will look. So I wanted lots of steerage at first. However I undoubtedly acquired it.”
Since then, he’s grown into the position and made it his personal. “I feel you actually should be versatile. Since we’re working within the additive business, each day is completely different. Day by day you may have completely different fashions for various clients that pose completely different challenges. That may be tremendous thrilling, and that additionally signifies that you actually should be in your toes.”
He thrives on it. “I’ve just a little little bit of a aggressive nature,” he says. “So I can be aggressive towards the method. I actually like if a quantity goes up… actually seeing that influence, and having the info to see if that is really working — that’s actually a giant driver for me.”
Considered one of his proudest examples? “We have now some processes that we began work on three years in the past… that have been completed each day by 4 individuals. It was additionally possibly not essentially the most enjoyable work. If you happen to have a look at it proper now, the identical course of is completed by one particular person in half a day, and it’s pretty pleasurable. And people 4 individuals can now give attention to one thing else that basically drives us ahead.”
Progress have to be aligned with individuals
It’s straightforward to imagine steady enchancment is all about velocity and effectivity, however Tistou’s method can also be about tradition and expertise. “It’s a driver for me, however I feel it’s a driver for the group as effectively. There’s a lot of days that I’ll simply placed on my work footwear and go and work in manufacturing… to get an excellent sense and an excellent understanding of what’s working effectively, what isn’t working effectively.”
“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 mainly the opposite approach round… we wish the individuals which might be within the course of each day to face up and say, hey, I feel we will do that higher.”
That sense of shared objective runs all through the Eindhoven website. “We share this massive accountability of getting the product out to the client each day,” he says. “So regardless that you is likely to 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 be sure that we meet our promise to the client, then we’ve to work as a group and be sure that we alter issues up.”
So what sort of particular person thrives at Shapeways?
“I feel it is advisable to be very enthusiastic and pushed to need to be taught as a lot as you’ll be able to,” says Tistou. “After all your position is necessary… however the individuals that basically thrive are the people who additionally suppose ‘what’s adjoining to my position, and the way can I study these processes as effectively?’”
Day by day would possibly look completely different for Tistou, however the purpose stays the identical: assist the group ship higher elements, quicker, whereas making the method extra rewarding for everybody concerned. “If you’ll find one thing that delivers a greater product to the client quicker, but additionally makes the entire manufacturing course of extra pleasurable… then the group can be totally behind you.”
You may observe together with the Shapeways Group Highlight collection to seek out out extra in regards to the group behind the scenes.
