2021-07-15 Products, Company
Behind every innovation is a clever, curious mind constantly asking: How can solutions be made even better, more productive, more intelligent? What could a completely new approach look like? Curiosity and openness to new experiences – these are the new core competencies in the knowledge society. The KRIWAN team in Research & Development embodies exactly that: enthusiasm for everything still unknown or just emerging, patience to make existing protection solutions even better, and curiosity and joy in tackling entirely new ideas.
Research and development with power!
Ultimately, the curiosity of employees defines the innovation capability of a company. The Research & Development team at KRIWAN has embraced this: electronic protection, machine protection sensors, wind and flow sensors, protection controllers, connectivity – combined with software solutions – the team continuously maximizes the potential of its solutions. The patents filed each year are proof of this: KRIWAN has protected over 40 innovations, with 6 new patents added annually. With 16 percent of employees dedicated to R&D, KRIWAN has established a solid, innovative foundation that also receives the necessary financial support for the future: KRIWAN invests 10 percent of its annual turnover (2.2 million in 2017) in its innovative minds! We got an inside look at two of these innovative minds under the physical parameters: current, resistance, and voltage.
Under power from the beginning
For me, being a developer is not just a job but a calling, almost genetically predetermined. What all developers have in common is curiosity. I remember being curious from an early age. I always wanted to know why things are the way they are and how they work. As a 4-year-old, I spent hours staring at the sky, asking myself: Why does it glow up there? When I saw a piece of wood floating on water, I wondered why it didn't sink, even though wood is heavier than water! By the time I was about 12, my will to understand became more concrete: I disassembled everything my parents bought. This often caused them a great deal of frustration, as I couldn’t always put things back together – which was not only due to me but also the quality of the products.
Persevering even in the face of resistance
"I was born in China and have spent about half of my life in Germany now. My journey to what was then West Germany was completely unplanned. While studying in China, I applied for a scholarship to the USA. Diplomatic tensions between China and the USA at the time led to the USA being ruled out as a study destination. I could choose between Germany and France – and I chose Germany.
I was 24 at the time and arrived at the University of Paderborn. Before starting my studies in Germany, I prepared by taking an intensive German course at the Goethe Institute in Shanghai. I successfully completed my studies in electrical engineering after a few years. During my Ph.D., I met my wife, who is also from China, while working as a research associate at the University of Paderborn. Originally, the plan was to return to China after my studies. But then came the student protests of 1989, and we stayed here. I found a job in Bavaria at Dreefs, where they selected me due to their interest in the Asian market. However, that didn’t materialize, and I ended up primarily working as a developer for electronic controls for white goods, meaning household appliances.
As a developer, you look forward to new challenges and the freedom to create something new. That's why, in 2005, I took the next logical career step and joined KRIWAN. My main task is to stay one step ahead of the market.
A current example of this is the development of new triggering devices for use in explosive environments. For environmental protection reasons, the trend today is toward natural refrigerants, including flammable refrigerants like propane or butane. If flammable natural refrigerants leak, they can form an explosive mixture with the surrounding air. In a substance-specific ignition window, a source of ignition can then lead to an explosion. The new triggering devices are designed in such a way that they cannot become a potential source of ignition and ensure that the monitored area does not reach an ignitable temperature. A great development, which has also been patented: motor protection devices that meet the requirements for functional safety.
The devices MUST be fault-tolerant. If something goes wrong in smartphone technology, it’s annoying. But if something goes wrong in electronic motor protection devices, there's a risk of fire. This means, for example, in the food industry: failure of the cold chain – or even worse: a danger to people and the environment! As an engineer, you must always be aware of this responsibility and know how to handle it."
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