Breda, 12 January 2023
As a software manager, I always start my day by replying to emails from clients regarding the systems we have installed for them. Next, I meet with the sales team to review the wishes of our (new) clients. During these meetings, we discuss what type of equipment we will need for each client, how we should configure this equipment and if there are any other important software-related aspects to keep in mind. This results in a list of tasks involving software modifications to be made in PlateButler. I assign these tasks to our software engineers.
It is then time for my weekly meeting with the project management team. During this meeting, we go over the progress being made on the various projects we are working on. If there have been any changes or additions to a project, I include these in the department planning and pass the changes on to our software engineers.
Next, I get to work on developing a system simulation for one of our clients. This simulation illustrates how many plates can run per day using the configuration we have set up. This gives the client more insight into the performance of their system. I also answer questions from our software engineers and help them resolve a wide range of software issues.
After developing the system simulation, I leave to conduct an SAT (Site Acceptance Test) for a client where we recently installed one of our systems.
The goal of this test is to make sure the system works as intended. The system is disassembled for transport and has to be reassembled once it has arrived at a client's location. After being moved to a new location, the system has to function under new conditions, such as being connected to a different network. This can affect the system's operation. After extensive testing, we will make any necessary adjustments to ensure everything works smoothly. After conducting an SAT, I also give a presentation and training to the client about how to operate the system.
What I love most about my job is the diversity it offers. I travel a lot, because more than 80% of our systems are located abroad. No two days are the same, which keeps my job interesting. Over the past thirty years, we have worked on many amazing projects and we remain fully dedicated to the development of new systems. Here's to another successful year full of innovative automation platforms!