Since Shapeways is on the journey of ‘coming residence’, we needed to get to know the those that make the magic occur right here in Eindhoven. Each couple of weeks we’ll be chatting with 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 search out out what he does, what motivates him and what he thinks makes for an incredible Shapie!
“There’s no such factor as a typical day,” says Tistou, Steady Enchancment Engineer at Shapeways’ Eindhoven facility. “Daily begins with a team-wide assembly… if one thing fascinating is going on, then that shall be my focus for that day.”
Tistou (or as everybody calls him, Ties) performs a novel function at Shapeways. Formally, he’s a group of 1. Unofficially, you’ll discover him wherever and in every single place.
“I’ve the liberty to prioritise the place to try a course of or see if we are able to 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 follow, there’s numerous teamwork.”
Defining steady enchancment
At its coronary heart, his function is about ensuring the processes within the manufacturing unit run as effectively as potential. 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 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 instantly impression the top 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 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 group… they’ve not less than 10 the explanation why it’s not a good suggestion!”
These interactions will not be 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 worthwhile to incorporate the group within the course of as nicely.”
Follow 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 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 extremely 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 at the beginning. However I positively received it.”
Since then, he’s grown into the function and made it his personal. “I believe you actually must be versatile. Since we’re working within the additive business, every single day is totally different. Daily you could have totally different fashions for various clients that pose totally different challenges. That may be tremendous thrilling, and that additionally signifies that you actually must be in your toes.”
He thrives on it. “I’ve somewhat 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 impression, and having the information to see if that is truly working — that’s actually an enormous driver for me.”
Considered one of his proudest examples? “We’ve got some processes that we began work on three years in the past… that have been performed every single day by 4 individuals. It was additionally perhaps not essentially the most enjoyable work. In case you take a look at it proper now, the identical course of is finished by one individual in half a day, and it’s pretty pleasurable. And people 4 individuals can now concentrate on one thing else that actually 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 be about tradition and expertise. “It’s a driver for me, however I believe it’s a driver for the group as nicely. There’s numerous 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 nicely, what just isn’t working nicely.”
“There’s no person telling anyone, ‘hey, that is the way it’s performed and there’s no room to have an opinion’. It’s mainly the opposite means round… we wish the individuals which are within the course of every single day to face up and say, hey, I believe we are able to do that higher.”
That sense of shared goal runs all through the Eindhoven website. “We share this huge accountability of getting the product out to the shopper every single day,” he says. “So though 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 shopper, then we have now to work as a group and be sure that we modify issues up.”
So what sort of individual thrives at Shapeways?
“I believe you could be very enthusiastic and pushed to wish to be taught as a lot as you’ll be able to,” says Tistou. “After all your function is necessary… however the individuals that actually thrive are the those that additionally suppose ‘what’s adjoining to my function, and the way can I find out about these processes as nicely?’”
Daily would possibly look totally different for Tistou, however the objective stays the identical: assist the group 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 shopper sooner, but in addition makes the entire manufacturing course of extra pleasurable… then the group shall be totally behind you.”
You possibly can comply with together with the Shapeways Group Highlight collection to search out out extra concerning the group behind the scenes.
