Daniel, 48, is a Balancing Mechanic at Cryostar. He balances the rotating parts of pumps, turbines and compressors. His department works on the entire range of Cryostar products. He also carries out centrifugal (overspeed) tests on all compressors and turbines wheels
Hello Daniel, can you tell us about your career?
I hold a vocational aptitude certificate in sawmill mechanics. I started my career in 1994 in a Vosges sawmill, as a sharpener. In 1998 I moved to Alsace to work in the ventilation duct manufacturing sector. In 2014, I changed career path and went on to work as a winder until 2018 in a cosmetic wipes factory in Soultz in the Haut-Rhin department, where I also worked on the entire production line.
So the Cryostar adventure began in 2018, is that correct?
Yes, I’ve been a Balancing Mechanic at Cryostar for 5 years. We operate in morning and afternoon cycles. We’re a small team of 5 people, which is great because the organization is on a human scale and everyone knows each other.
What do you particularly like about your job?
I like the technical side of the balancing work. It’s a real pleasure to set up the balancing machines and balance the components, mainly shafts and wheels. I also enjoy the variety of work and the autonomy in carrying out tasks. Everyone makes their own parts, but we remain a close-knit team with a good working atmosphere. After balancing, the product goes for mechanical assembly, testing and then shipping to customers all over the world. I’m just one link in the chain and it’s quite rewarding to feel useful by understanding how we contribute to Cryostar’s business.
What skills are most important in your job?
You have to be rigorous and patient. For example, for a multi-stage compressor like the CM6/200, which has 6 stages, we can spend around sixty hours balancing the 12 wheels and 6 shafts of the equipment, carrying out overspeeding, die penetrant test and balancing the complete rotor, with the reward of a job well done at the end.
Precise gestures and agility are also very important: in fact, the residual unbalance is of the order of a tenth of a milligram for tolerance adjustment.
Any final words?
Yes, I’d like to mention the year 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a major event for me. Cryostar, which operates in vital sectors, didn’t need to stop production, everything was well organized by management. We gave a lot of ourselves, we worked well, and I’m particularly proud of that. I’m pleased with these moments because there was a great sense of solidarity between us.
