Niccolò’s reddish hair hints at a wind of change in the San Piero offices, with the formation of a new team led by him as a Software Engineer.
I hadn’t seen you in the San Piero corridors until the last few weeks. When did you join the company?
I arrived in May, so not that long ago.
You’ve just arrived and with a completely new role for the company: it’s the first time a Software Engineer has been hired. Can you tell us what your role specifically entails?
My role is cross-functional in the implementation of machine projects. I oversee the electronic components (control units, displays, manipulators, joysticks) and the electrical components (connecting inputs/outputs, switches, coils that move the oil). I am the person who coordinates the architecture to make the machine move and also the display part; a new role that supports every project, both for thermal and electric machines.
We can say that this is a work in progress if we consider that the first Eurocomach models did not have any real electronic components.
Exactly. This component is gradually becoming more prevalent, because electronics can introduce logic to improve the product; with the help of a smart control unit, I can modify the behavior of a system.
If I press a switch that is directly connected to a light, it turns on, but if I place a control unit between the switch and the lamp, I can decide whether to turn it on or keep it off. The goal is to read an input to decide what to do with the output.
In this regard, have you also been involved with the new 8-10 TON range?
No, I haven’t followed this part yet, but I’ll gradually get into it.
What was the first project you worked on?
Stabilize all software packages for any Eurocomach model. The first real project I worked on was the PR230, the 3TON range.
We are now working on the electric model of the MTL and will soon be considering the thermal version as well.
How many people are collaborating with you?
Currently, only Mattia. However, I will soon also be following a research project with the University of Bologna, specifically with the Cesena campus, along with a Pakistani girl. The project is related to electric excavators and the electric MTL for power management.
We’ll catch up in September then for that part. Tell us a bit about your background. Are you from the area, or are you from outside?
I am originally from Lake Maggiore and started working in the electronics industry fifteen years ago, in 2010, as a System Integrator. I was in Modena, in Motor Valley, working on software development for a company involved in the manufacture of telehandlers for the construction sector. There, I became responsible for the software and electrical systems.
Today, I have moved to Santarcangelo di Romagna to support Sampierana. At the moment, we rely on external suppliers, but the hope for the future is to be able to be autonomous and have the necessary tools to manage ourselves.
Regarding these goals, what did you find when you arrived two months ago?
I found excellent project management, but something needed to be improved for the traceability of software and specifications for each project.
As there was no reference figure for the electronic part, it was necessary to have someone to create templates and procedures for releasing the software.
For now, we are distributed 20% in Cesena and 80% in San Piero. The Cesena part is fundamental for the excavators and electric machines, but here in San Piero, we have the opportunity to test prototypes firsthand, and this requires a significant presence at this site.
The team is set to grow, aligning itself with the ongoing needs that arise.
How do you feel the other departments welcomed the arrival of new figures in the company? The impression was positive.
The impression was positive. Other institutions also welcomed this entry, and with CNH’s support, we will have the opportunity to improve on what has already been done well.
If we were to try to quantify the time in front of the machine and the time in front of the PC?
40% on the computer and 60% on the machine, because at the moment we need to get to know it and understand the tuning that has been carried out.
Being in the car is much more effective and educational.
The project with the University began in July, presenting the support team and the various stages of the project.
A remote exchange is already active. We are now waiting for him to arrive in Cesena in September.
What do you think might happen in the coming months, also looking at the future of the company?
I definitely expect the team to grow, so we will certainly be able to improve our support for various organizations and start developing software internally.
