In January 2017 Goedele joined Verhaert Consulting. She has been involved in projects at Delair and Verhaert. Currently she’s working on-site at Daikin.
Can you describe the main tasks of your job at Daikin?
“Daikin is developing a new house style for their units. My project will introduce their new look. I joined the team when the concept was already determined. I’m engineering the grill: a big black plastic part which is mounted on the metal casing and protects the fan inside. It covers the whole front side and determines a big part of the look. My job is to develop a mold-able, easy assembling, good looking and weather resistant grill.”
What is the biggest engineering challenges in this project?
“To keep the already determined look and still develop a plastic part that is easy to mold and assemble (in the factory and in the field by installers). Another one is weather resistance: the unit will be placed outside for minimum 13 years, in both cold and hot areas, at the seaside or in the city. The grill is a big part and little faults (tolerances, warpage, flow lines …) are unavoidable. My job is to find solutions to camouflage or fix these problems. The look is Daikin’s first priority!”
For a young mother, finding a balance between work and family is a challenge. How does Verhaert Consulting help you with that?
“Open communication is the key. When my 2nd boy was born in March and my partner took a job with long hours, a full time job became a big challenge. After a good talk with Verhaert Consulting, I could switch to a 4/5 job. I work 6 hours each day except on Wednesday. I can drop off and pick up my kids at reasonable hours and still be fully involved in the Daikin project. I appreciate Verhaert Consulting for their respect, understanding and honesty.”
