From the beach to the world of operational excellence: working student at thyssenkrupp Automotive Technology

Moritz Rohmann has been supporting the global Operational Excellence department at thyssenkrupp's automotive specialist since November 2023. After two years in research during his mechanical engineering studies at the Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), Moritz wanted to get to know the industry first-hand. This ultimately led him to thyssenkrupp Automotive Technology - a win-win situation for both sides.

Already during his studies, Moritz was enthusiastic about lean management and the continuous improvement of processes, especially through his academic focus on “design and automation technology. He had long been familiar with names such as thyssenkrupp and thyssenkrupp BILSTEIN through his involvement in initiatives such as RUB-Motorsport, the Formula Student Team of the Ruhr University Bochum.

His interest in the industry led him to apply to the technology company. And so, literally a short time later, he ended up at the global Operational Excellence Team of thyssenkrupp Automotive Technology at the Essen headquarters: he received the call for the job interview while on vacation in Crete.

Proactive from the start

A central component of his work is to promote the efficiency of thyssenkrupp Automotive's global production sites through synergy effects. This is done in Operational Excellence (OPX) by means of a so-called maturity measurement of the plants, the so-called OPX scan. In the last round of scans, Moritz was responsible for coordinating and conducting these on-site scans. In addition to planning and execution, Moritz is responsible for evaluating, processing and consolidating the collected data, which allows him to apply his affinity for digitization.

Right from the start of his job, Moritz recognized the potential for digitizing individual process steps. When evaluating his first round of scans, he noticed that some repetitive tasks kept cropping up. Together with the IT department, he developed the idea for the OPX app and got the project off the ground.

An App filled with Advantages

The advantages of the app are fully in line with the LEAN management idea: the use of a database centralizes and standardizes the storage, management and use of data. This increases efficiency and enables the creation of complex, application-specific data models. The choice of database used offers universal application possibilities, so almost any software used at thyssenkrupp Automotive can be easily connected.

The app creates a solution that offers positive effects both administratively and operationally and sustainably improves existing processes – a real added value for the company.

Alongside his student job, Moritz is currently writing his master's thesis at thyssenkrupp Automotive on the application of machine learning to predict quality characteristics in welding processes. The aim of his research is to reduce manual testing and thereby increase process efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

For Moritz, working at thyssenkrupp means being part of a company that combines innovation, collaboration and responsibility. He particularly values the open communication, and the trust placed in him. These experiences motivate Moritz to use his skills to the full and develop innovative ideas – and offer him a springboard to delve even deeper into the world of process optimization.