In the latest episode of our podcast, Rufus chats with Carl Weber – a man who likes to stay on the move. Be it triathlons, hiking, or exploring the world around him, Carl likes to get out and about in his free time. When it comes to his career, however, the 28-year-old has more than settled in. As a student of mechanical engineering at the University of Siegen, he completed an internship at Thomas, where he was assigned to what was then known as the analytical laboratory. He then went on to become a working student at the company, completing his Bachelor’s degree and subsequently his Master’s degree in industrial engineering with a focus on materials technology. Since then, he has been in full-time employment as a laboratory engineer.
Carl knew that he wanted to stay at Thomas, a decision driven in part by the fact that the company had placed so much trust in him. Essentially, he says, he tends to apply the same methods today as he did back then. The only difference is that he now bears full responsibility for these activities and no longer has to have his test results checked by someone else. His career steps prove beyond doubt: Applying as a working student at Thomas is a good choice and provides a springboard for a subsequent career!
But what does the job of a laboratory engineer at Thomas actually involve? Want to find out? Tune in and listen to Carl as he explains how the laboratory is set up. He provides clear and entertaining insights into the differences between the calibration laboratory, the measurement laboratory, and the test and application laboratory. And, of course, he also emphasizes the importance of the laboratory’s work. He underpins this with practical examples from the field of quality assurance, for example, which includes the task of checking the dimensional accuracy of mass-produced components or investigating the root cause of specific faults. Or from the field of product development, including the diagnostic Tank Leak Module (TLM), a project in which he was involved.
This much is certain: there is more than enough to talk about! Over the course of the conversation, look out for terms such as „correlation of fiber orientation“, „penetration test“, „technical cleanliness“, and „residual dirt analysis“ – underscoring Carl’s passion for his job: it’s about acquiring new knowledge every step of the way; the variety of tasks is a particular thrill; and sometimes you feel like a detective with a quick intellect, scientifically trained intuition, and an analytical mind on a mission to find answers to important questions.
Those of you who would like to delve a little deeper and also find out how Carl once placed a fly under an electron microscope and why he – who is not really a „snacker“ – was often to be found hanging out at the snack machine in the hallway during his Master’s degree course should definitely listen to this podcast!
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