Michael Herr reports

Just the right mixture

The impetus to start my career at SEW‑EURODRIVE was an announcement I stumbled upon while I was searching for a suitable company at which to do my bachelor’s thesis in mechatronics. While I was researching the company, I was astonished to find that SEW‑EURODRIVE’s product portfolio was far larger than I had expected, and that it wasn’t just limited to the classical drive components; it also included complete system solutions.

In the interview that followed, my future advisor and I decided on a suitable topic, and we quickly determined that I would be writing my bachelor’s thesis in the Research and Technology department in the area of “automated guided vehicle systems” at the Bruchsal site. The introduction to the topic, the department and the company went very smoothly, and I had a lot of fun. This was particularly due to the nice and competent people working throughout the entire company. Although the company’s growth in recent years and it’s current size should not be underestimated, there is still a friendly and familial atmosphere within the company, even across departments.

When I decided toward the end of my bachelor’s thesis that I wanted to enter the working world afterwards, and preferably at SEW‑EURODRIVE, a few opportunities opened up for me and I decided to start my career as a test engineer in the TestCenter for gear unit testing.

In this area as well, my colleagues and supervisors made my introduction easier so that I could become well integrated into my new area of responsibility. This includes the complete and independent management of a wide range of testing projects, consisting of planning, the accompanying set-up, actual measurement or series of measurements, and the final evaluation and documentation of the results.

The testing projects most often deal with thermal properties, acoustics and mechanical quantities such as force and torque, and they most often originate in the Development and Complaints departments. Personally, I find this diverse area of responsibility to be ideal for a mechatronics engineer, since the three major branches of mechatronics – mechanics, electronics and computer science – are required in equal measure. In addition, the necessarily close contact with many other areas/departments in the company allows for knowledge to be transferred in both directions.

Last but not least, I would mention the diversity of my work, which I think involves just the right mixture of everything that makes up the engineering profession. It includes everything from mechanical work on test stands to programming/development work at a computer. The test subjects are also quite diverse, from small, manageable, decentralized drives to industrial gear units weighing tons.