We have a great team here at WAAM3D, so, over the coming year we will be introducing you to a few of them. First off, here is the amazing Shakir, our Senior Development Engineer.
How long have you been at WAAM3D and where were you before?
I arrived at WAAM3D in September 2021 as a Senior DevelopmentEngineer. Prior to that I worked across several industries, ranging from satellite communication to simulation software for electrical machines. Previously I was a research software engineer at the University of Nottingham, where I completed my PhD in computational electromagnetics. Although my first degree was in electrical and electronics engineering, I’ve always loved software and development.
What does your job at WAAM3D entail?
Day-to-day I write software, work with cutting-edge sensors, and configure robots. I lead the development of one of the most advanced process monitoring, control, and quality assurance solutions on the market, in the field of Arc directed energy deposition (DED-arc). Aspart of my role, I get feedback from engineers and clients on the solution and their software needs and as a team we then translate that into reality.
What made you join WAAM3D?
What they were doing at WAAM3D fascinated me. I was aware of small plastic 3D printers, but 3D printing huge metal parts for airplanes, ships, and the like, was new to me. The role is very hands on, with lots of interaction between the software, the hardware, and the people, which is fun and it means my work’s impact can be seen immediately. Also, the founders, leadership and many employees have research backgrounds which gave me some sense of belonging. The company embraces continuous research with a strong relationship with Cranfield university, so I’m able to keep in touch with my academic background, publish papers, take part in tests and simulations, and see the research become part of the industrial solution.
What do you love about your job?
It's cool to be working at the forefront of technology, building state-of-the-art systems for large scale metallic additive manufacturing. I also love the fact that the impact we are having is real; people are using our WAAM3D systems every day, so when we add a new feature, it is rewarding knowing that we are immediately improving the process and user experience for a client somewhere. It also helps that the team at WAAM3D is fantastic, supportive, and the culture is nice. I have a great line manager and enjoy every day of work here.
What challenges do you face in your job at WAAM3D?
There's a lot of work to do and the job involves juggling new research, integrating, and adapting new technology, plus onboarding new clients and accommodating their different needs. We are a small but effective team, so it means that no day is boring!
Tell me about somethings or something that you're most proud of that you've achieved at work at WAAM3D?
Since I joined, I have put a lot of work into WAAMCtrl – WAAM3D’s proprietary process monitoring and control software. This has involved restructuring the software and the processes involved - right from design, through to development, testing and release. I have also been involved in the early major software releases and now contributing to the roadmap for the software.
What are your hobbies?
My newest ‘hobby’ is our recently born first child -Salsabeela. Her name means a spring in paradise in Arabic and, not surprisingly, she is taking up a good chunk of our time and attention! I used to love playing basketball, but not so much here in the UK, as it isn’t really a sport that can be played outdoors all year round. If I get any spare time now, I enjoy watching and playing chess (though I suck at it!). I also love watching anime, and learning Japanese and, it goes without saying, anything tech related.
What is your favourite food?
I’m Nigerian, so it would have to be one of the local foodsI had while growing up - Pounded Yam and Egusi soup with lots of protein!
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