Autore: Alexander

Peter Gundel is our Process Specialist at Expanite located in Hilleroed, Denmark. Peter has +35 years of experience working in heat treatment industry.

Interview

First of all: Why did you become an engineer?

When I walked through the doors of DTU (Technical University of Denmark) I wanted to become a chemical engineer. During my studies, I visited a steel mill and was fascinated by the gigantic steel plates, the heat, the sparks, and following that I took all the courses I could get on metals. I even managed to get a summer job at a heat treatment plant where I  started working the day I gave in my master’s thesis. I did my PLD with the same company in laser surfacing.

Can you tell us about your background and how you came to work at Expanite?

Before joining Expanite, I was with one of our competitors for 34 years. Over the years I have been involved in technology development, managing large EU-funded projects, and I had my own blog in the company newsletter – and have been speaking at numerous industry events. The heat treatment plant I worked for was closed, and I spotted the Expanite vacancy in the newspaper. I wrote an application, went for the interview, and got the job in 2022. I later learned that Expanite thought that I had moved to another part of Denmark and therefore was not interested in the job. Apart from the job at Expanite, I am a censor both at DTU and the University of Aarhus. I keep my skills honed by helping The Danish Accreditation Institution when they assess laboratories.

What is your current role and what are your main responsibilities?

I am a process specialist. I know a thing or two about heat treatment, I understand the processes, and my knowledge about metals doesn’t harm. And over the years, I have developed a strong network, that is always ready to help. I help our customers find the right solutions giving their parts the properties they want. And here at Expanite, I am deeply involved in our technology development program working closely with our technical team

How would someone living with an engineer describe you?

My wife says I am the quiet type. On the other hand, when we play Quiz Planet, everybody wants me on their team. I enjoy hiking, and I hope my friends will confirm that I am a helpful and friendly guy.

What’s a day in the life like for you at Expanite?

Once I have had my morning coffee, I check our digital production platform, that monitors all orders and all processes in all our treatment centers around the world. In case we want to optimize or check the quality, I decide when and how to involve our laboratory. During the day I typically help our sales expert come up with the best solutions for our customers. And I of course work with our own product and process development

What are some of the key technologies and tools you work with at Expanite?

I wouldn’t say it is my favorite book, but the Stahlschlüssel is my go-to guide, when new solutions are required

What are the latest trends or technologies either helping or disrupting your industry?

The trend from combustion engines to EVs is really exciting. EVs also need parts that can operate under tough conditions. The fact that we extend the lifetime of critical components is a contribution to a more circular economy. That is great. I am so pleased that we can now document that the investment in an Expanite treatment easily pays off in environmental terms and that our CO2 footprint is so small.

Can you share a memorable experience or accomplishment during your time at Expanite that stands out to you?

I really like it when we fix things and achieve something, that people say “it can’t be done”.  We see a lot of amazing parts from pumps to wind turbine brakes, to implants, to watches. Power-to-X is a new and exciting technology, but also very demanding. It is great when we can help that industry solve their challenges. This is another way we are contributing to a greener world

About Expanite

Expanite offers state-of-the-art solutions for surface hardening treatment of stainless steels and titanium. With Expanite’s processes, it is possible to increase the material’s surface hardness tenfold while at the same time maintaining and even increasing its corrosion resistance. Expanite is a global organization with a combined development and production facility near Copenhagen, Denmark, and hardening capacity in both US, Germany, Korea and China. Expanite’s solutions are flexible and can be introduced directly into a customer’s own production line as part of a licensing arrangement. Learn more on www.expanite.com.

 

Szymon Stachlewski is one of the Materials and Surface specialist working for Expanite. Simon joined us in 2023 after having completed his degree in materials and surface technology at the leading Technical University of Denmark, DTU.

Interview

First of all: Why did you become an engineer?

I always wanted to be a scientist, working in a white kilt, working in a lab, doing science work. To me, engineering is applied science.

Can you tell us about your background and how you came to work at Expanite

My background is in materials and manufacturing. I finished my studies at DTU, and I ended at Expanite thanks to the fact that during my studies I learned about the company from one of the professors, Prof. Marcel A.J. Somers, who was one of the founders of Expanite when it was established in 2010 as a spin-off from The Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Before landing a permanent position, inspired by his recommendations and connections to Expanite, I tried getting a student job at Expanite, but didn’t get it. One year later there was a job opening, I applied for the job and got it!

What is your current role and what are your main responsibilities?

My job title is Materials and Surface specialist. My task is anything from customer and sales support, helping production, helping marketing, design and order of tools used in production, and I also do R&D. I look over the processes, do trouble shooting, and ensure that our hardware always is in top-notch condition.

How would someone living with an engineer describe you?

I like to think of myself as heartfelt, and a nice person. I am social, but also good at being alone. I am passionate about things I am passionate about. I love to talk about my work and materials science.

What’s a day in the life like for you at Expanite?

I wake up way too late, I rush through my morning routine, and take the bike to work. First, I will have a brief talk with the production manager. Then I respond to mails, support the team members.  Additionally, I will make presentations, and provide summaries of the results of my research.  After lunch I usually do some lab work. If there are issues in the production, I will spend more time on that.

Can you describe a recent project you’ve worked on and your contributions to it?

There are a lot of projects, the one I would like to mention is the one we did with a company in the luxury accessories category. When their parts were subjected to the Expanite processes we saw some unwanted discoloring. We experimented with various solutions including cleaning, and together with the customer we discovered the source of the problem. After this discovery, and addressing the underlying cause, the finished product looked perfect after our treatment. That was a really nice project where my technical background and good communication could be directly linked to a happy customer. 

How does the tech team at Expanite help your customers?

Well, we answer their technical questions, we communicate either directly with the customers or together with the sales team. Helping them find documentation and summarize the results of our findings. We also meet with our customers’ engineering departments – engineers talking to engineers always gives the best results.

How does your work at Expanite impact the company’s overall goals and objectives?

I have two areas of contribution: one is the R&D projects, which will help Expanite close bigger deals. However, on a daily basis I try and be helpful with smaller tasks. Here at Expanite, I want to show that we care about our customers. I will help the customers find the process that is right for them. I always put the customer first and try and anticipate their needs and show we are there to help them in finding the right solution. We are open to testing new ideas, testing new parts, and generally as a company we are very open. It is my strong belief that knowledge sharing is the way forward for our industry, so I always try to do my best in explaining the process.

What trends do you see in the industry, and how is Expanite preparing for the future?

I see the environmental impact as the biggest trend.  Whether you are an engineer working on new products, maintaining existing or responsible for purchasing, we are all concerned about the environmental impact of our daily decisions and want to make sure that the solutions we use are safer, greener and more effective. In my view, Expanite checks all these boxes. As a result, I believe we will gain more and more business. We are the greener alternative for surface hardening. And we are faster too.

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a technical role at a company like Expanite?

Have fun, you must like what you do. The job is full of surprises, and you spend a lot of time thinking about it. You have to be passionate about your job.

Why did you decide to stay in Denmark?

I like the society, everything “just works” here, and I feel safe here. It is not as rainy as Danes think. The wind is maybe annoying, it is the only place in the world where you can turn three times to the left and still have the wind in front!

About Expanite

Expanite offers state-of-the-art solutions for surface hardening treatment of stainless steels and titanium. With Expanite’s processes, it is possible to increase the material’s surface hardness tenfold while at the same time maintaining and even increasing its corrosion resistance. Expanite is a global organization with a combined development and production facility near Copenhagen, Denmark, and hardening capacity in both US, Germany, Korea and China. Expanite’s solutions are flexible and can be introduced directly into a customer’s own production line as part of a licensing arrangement. Learn more on www.expanite.com.