In our article series « Testia Experts », we present short interviews with our employees – the experts that really make Testia what it is. In this issue we speak with Parinitha Babu, Materials & Processes engineer in Bremen.
You can also watch this video interview on YouTube.
Can you introduce yourself and your career path at Testia?
Hi, this is Parinitha. I’ve been working with Testia for almost four years and I specialize in coatings and surface technology for aircraft structures.
The past few years in Testia, I’ve been working with critical aircraft structures such as the development of coatings for the A350 and also programs that are aiming towards sustainability.
What kind of tests are you performing in your Bremen lab?
The tests that we perform are majorly designed to answer one key question: How will this material behave over time in real flight conditions?
There are several test methods and tests that we perform here in Bremen, such as surface tests, mechanical tests, tests towards corrosion and tests towards very harsh fluids.
In Bremen we also have interior labs where they perform tensile testing and tests towards stress.
What does your work consist of?
My work directly sits in the development and qualification phase of an aircraft lifecycle. Basically, we evaluate material to make sure that it is ready before production.
One interesting aspect of my work is that I work for sustainable aviation. For example, we work on chromium free coatings aiming to reduce the environmental impact.
What testing method do you prefer and why?
One of the tests that fascinates me the most is when we simulate real flight conditions. Essentially, we are ageing the material using various simulation methods in order to analyse how it behaves over time.
What are the most common tests you usually carry out?
We conduct surface tests on a regular basis, which are tests especially for coatings such as paint adhesion, scratch resistance and drop tests.
The aim of these tests is to assess how the material behaves at the surface of a coating.
How are you working with the rest of the team?
At Testia, we are almost twelve engineers and each of us work on different projects across the Airbus network. Our team work is highly collaborative and cross-functional, mostly because our material has a lot of impact on various properties. This is why we find ourselves working with several material experts and design engineers as well as various project teams across the Airbus network in order to come to conclusions.
I was an international student here in Germany. Then I moved to Bremen, after moving from two or three different cities, and so far I really love the life in Bremen, especially my work life.
Testia has given me a space where I can be myself; it is very flexible and people are really nice.
The project teams that I work with are really friendly, open to teaching and learning from each other. It’s really nice that everyone is truly involved. If there is a challenge, we work as a team together.
Watch the video interview YouTube
Thanks for taking the time for this interview!
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