In our article series “Testia Experts”, we present short interviews with our employees – the experts that really make Testia what it is. This time, Hedieh Farhandi takes us to the testing lab in Bremen, where she works as a materials & processes project engineer.
Hello Hedieh! You are working as a project engineer at Testia in Germany – what was your career and education path up until this point?
I have a master degree in chemical engineering. Before working as a project engineer at Testia, I worked on an experimental research topic on composite materials at the University of Bremen, which led to my passion for material science. During my experimental work in the laboratory, I gathered some experience in different analysis methods which brought me to where I am today.
What are your typical everyday tasks at work?
As a project engineer, my tasks are mainly focused on mechanical, chemical and corrosion-resistance-based surface testing methods. And, of course, also the documentation and analysis of the results. As a member of the testing team, I also take care of some additional responsibilities in the field of surface pretreatment and metallography analysis.
What project are you currently working on? And which testing methods do you apply for this project?
I am currently working on a project for our customer to develop and analyse an environmental-friendly primer system according to the REACH regulations for chemical substances. In the frame of this project, we perform mechanical and chemical-resistance tests (e.g. paint adhesion, scratch resistance and others) and corrosion-resistance tests (e.g. salt spray test, crevice corrosion tests and others). The goal is to characterize the performance of different paint systems and find the one that is best suited to fulfill the REACH requirements.
Like any other experimental work, each day can be different from the day before and the smallest factors can influence the end result. One important thing that I would take with me is to always track the variables that could have an impact on the result.
Thanks for taking the time for this interview!
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