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 chatting with one of many workforce 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, enhancing 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 important 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 occurring, then that might be my focus for that day.”
Tistou (or as everybody calls him, Ties) performs a singular position at Shapeways. Formally, he’s a workforce 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 workforce that’s already doing that course of… so in apply, there’s numerous teamwork.”
Defining steady enchancment
At its coronary heart, his position is about ensuring the processes within the manufacturing unit run as effectively as attainable. Which may imply automation, knowledge visualization, or high quality assurance — and infrequently all three in the identical day. “The top 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 impression the tip product.”
However what stands out in dialog with Tistou isn’t simply what he does, but it surely’s how he does it. His technical mindset is matched by a transparent respect for the individuals round him. “In my expertise, the workforce normally 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 discuss with the workforce… they’ve not less than 10 explanation why it’s not a good suggestion!”
These interactions usually are not roadblocks, as an alternative 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 priceless to incorporate the workforce within the course of as properly.”
Follow 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 prospect to strive 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’ll be a very good match for this’… I had no thought what being a steady enchancment engineer would entail or how that might look. So I wanted numerous steerage firstly. However I positively obtained it.”
Since then, he’s grown into the position and made it his personal. “I believe you actually need to be versatile. Since we’re working within the additive business, every single day is totally different. Day by day you may have totally different fashions for various clients that pose totally different challenges. That may be tremendous thrilling, and that additionally implies that you actually need to be in your toes.”
He thrives on it. “I’ve a bit of little bit of a aggressive nature,” he says. “So I will also be aggressive in opposition to the method. I actually like if a quantity goes up… actually seeing that impression, and having the information to see if that is truly working — that’s actually a giant driver for me.”
One in every of his proudest examples? “Now we have some processes that we began work on three years in the past… that had been completed every single day by 4 individuals. It was additionally perhaps not probably the most enjoyable work. Should you have 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 individuals can now give attention to one thing else that actually drives us ahead.”
Progress have to be aligned with individuals
It’s simple to imagine steady enchancment is all about velocity and effectivity, however Tistou’s strategy can also be about tradition and expertise. “It’s a driver for me, however I believe it’s a driver for the workforce 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 a great sense and a great understanding of what’s working properly, what just isn’t working properly.”
“There’s no person telling anyone, ‘hey, that is the way it’s completed and there’s no room to have an opinion’. It’s principally the opposite method round… we would like the individuals which are within the course of every single day to face up and say, hey, I believe we will do that higher.”
That sense of shared goal runs all through the Eindhoven website. “We share this large duty of getting the product out to the client every single day,” he says. “So despite the fact that you may be a small piece of the puzzle… if push involves shove, and we want you to do one thing else for a day to ensure that we meet our promise to the client, then we’ve to work as a workforce and ensure that we alter issues up.”
So what sort of individual thrives at Shapeways?
“I believe it is advisable be very enthusiastic and pushed to wish to be taught as a lot as you possibly can,” says Tistou. “In fact your position is vital… however the individuals that actually thrive are the people who additionally suppose ‘what’s adjoining to my position, and the way can I find out about these processes as properly?’”
Day by day may look totally different for Tistou, however the purpose stays the identical: assist the workforce ship higher components, quicker, whereas making the method extra rewarding for everybody concerned. “If yow will discover one thing that delivers a greater product to the client quicker, but additionally makes the entire manufacturing course of extra pleasurable… then the workforce might be absolutely behind you.”
You’ll be able to comply with together with the Shapeways Group Highlight collection to seek out out extra in regards to the workforce behind the scenes.
