Incontra Peter Gundel – Il nostro specialista dei processi (articolo in inglese)

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.