Drei Ratschläge an Dein 14jähriges Ich!

I would give my 14-year-old self the advice be an open-minded person, discover the world travel to as many countries as possible and discover new cultures. I think it is very important, even at such a global company as Bühler to go about life in an open-minded way. You should set out with this intent in mind as early as possible. I also think you should take your time when picking a career. Trust in yourself and do what you truly enjoy. And last but not least, make an effort because if you are successful at school, the world will be open to you. You can achieve everything and do anything you want!

Was steht auf Deiner Visitenkarte?

My name is Dominik Widler, I am a development engineer at Bühler.

Was ist das coolste an Deinem Job?

I enjoy developing new solutions, maybe even something completely new that did not exist beforehand and being able to sell this solution globally as well. It's not just that we're working with these solutions locally but other production sites must also be convinced of these solutions. To be able to coordinate and implement this is tremendous. One is given so many different possibilities here and you can really go wild with your ideas.

Welche Einschränkungen bringt Dein Job mit sich?

Of course, there are also disadvantages. We develop machinery that is very important to our customers and the pressure to produce does mount up. This means that the machines should never break down and they should be low maintenance. We are now developing new solutions that will be tested in conjunction with our customers. In case something does break down one just has to deal with it possibly one has to add a couple of work hours to the day in order to come up with a solution. Therefore, for some people, it is not always easy to deal with this pressure but this is a natural occurrence that is brought along with these developments. That’s the way it is.

Worum geht es in Deinem Job?

Bühler is divided into two divisions. Grains & food and advanced materials. So, we here, are dealing with the non-food sector. That includes everything to do with metal and battery production or even paint. In these industry fields, we have very strong abilities. I am part of the die casting department where we develop machinery parts for the die casting process. I am a development engineer and I am responsible for the development of new machinery. So right now, I am working on a very large global development project. In this position, I have the technical responsibility for mechanics and hydraulics. This is the split up within a team where different people are working on the individual components. Together, the team and I created the basic layout. Now, the individual engineers are working to implement those ideas. Presently I am checking blueprints and am verifying that everything has been carried out correctly as initially conceived. I am checking, on a global level, if all production facilities can produce to specification. This implies that I spend a lot of time sitting in front of my computer but I also I partake in a lot of meetings and check drawings and blueprints. Meanwhile, the production of the individual components has started. This means we are building a prototype and verifying it. At the moment, we are in the manufacturing phase where we come across everyday manufacturing problems as well as design issues therefore, we are forced to quickly come up with solutions to these troubles. This is what I am coordinating. I record the solution processes and then I try to develop a resolution myself or try to find a fix in conjunction with my team.

Wie sieht Dein Werdegang aus?

I grew up in Kreuzlingen. I studied mechanical engineering and finished with a bachelor’s degree. Later on, I realised that I needed more experience in electrical engineering in order to be able to develop new machinery. So, I did a master’s degree in the field of mechatronics. I had the opportunity of writing my master’s thesis here at the Bühler focusing on a simulation of a new drivetrain concept for die casting machines.
I was able to start my employment here at the company as a development engineer and shortly after I was able to take over initial development projects as project manager.

Ginge es auch ohne Deinem Werdegang?

Generally, it is possible to find your way into this position with a different career path to mine. I think it's important that you have a technical degree in mechanical engineering or process engineering, it can also be electrical engineering. In the field in which we operate that's not just mechanics but also hydraulics and electrical engineering that is relevant. That means you really have to show interest in the topic. At such a big company like Bühler I think it's important to be very communicative if you are working on major development projects. Also, you should be open to other cultures and try to work out the best solutions possible.