What Carsten says – an interview with an Mechanical Engineer

As a Mechanical Engineer at Sereact, Carsten quickly became an integral part of the team. His journey began with a research project, then continued with a working student position and his Master's thesis. In this interview, we take a closer look at Carsten's professional career and discover his passions and talents beyond technology.

Carsten, what do you like most about your work? 

There are many aspects that I like about my work. For one thing, it's cool to have such a small, diverse team. Everyone has different specialities and ideas.  But above all, of course, I like the diversity of my tasks. That means everything from defining the requirements and theoretical design to planning, production and assembly.  In principle - and this is what I find exciting - we cover the entire process from start to finish. In other words, we have a real diversity in every direction. And that's really fascinating. 

Based on your experiences today, what advice would you give to your younger self?

Do what you feel like doing. If you are enthusiastic about it, it will be good and it will pay off.

Do you have a secret talent or a fun fact about yourself that might surprise your colleagues?

Since we are such a familiar team, I think they already know enough about me to not be very surprised. But I can actually get excited about reading instructions. Many people try things out first before they even look at the instructions and read them. But I have a weakness for instructions, norms and guidelines. This enthusiasm somehow runs in the family.

If you could design a robot to do one everyday task for you, what would it be?

Making coffee from a portafilter machine. It's a ritual when you take your time to make coffee in the morning. But of course there's also something appealing about automating it. It might be a bit contradictory, but I think it would be fun to have the robot prepare my coffee from the portafilter machine.

Have you ever used your CAD skills for your own project and if so, what did you do with them?

Of course, several times already. I find it super practical. Especially in combination with my 3D printer at home. You can simply design any parts you need at short notice. For example, I've also printed parts for my car. Some interior components or radio panels to simply customize my car or to accommodate other special components that don't actually belong in there.

Is there an "old-fashioned" mechanical device or tool that still fascinates you or that you like to use?

I like calipers. They are mechanically very simple, but still essential. It's right at the top of my desk drawer. 

If you had the opportunity to work on a dream design project without restrictions, what would it be and why would you choose this particular project? 

Building my own car is a childhood dream of mine. I have been making construction drawings since I was little. Model ships and model planes, for example. The construction sketches are still hanging on my parents' wall today. And I've even built a little car that you can actually sit in.

Are there any funny or unique office traditions or inside jokes at Sereact that you can tell us?

Well, a running joke is that we only make software. When I joined Sereact, I had doubts about whether I was really needed here, as we are a software company. But things have increasingly developed in such a way that we also map the entire mechanical engineering process. The entire hardware process. It always comes up when we have a very busy day.

We all have "guilty pleasures". Is there something you secretly enjoy that you could surprise your colleagues with?

Listening to party hits. That surprised some people at first. But now it's not a secret anymore. It's hard to describe, but it just puts me in a good mood and makes me feel happy. I can listen to it all the time.

What do you like best to relax and have fun when you're not working?

I meet up with friends or enjoy fixing things. Especially working on my car. It's not just a hobby, it's my passion.

What's the most adventurous thing you've done outside work?

Crossing the Alps in a classic car. Even though I drive my car every day and know it is reliable, it was still a challenge and a thrill to drive such a long distance and even across the Alps. I think we were on the road for 10 days. We drove to Lake Como and back.