Attila Terragni: the red pen engineer

What it means designing a machine for the glass processing?

Everyday I weight concepts and assumptions, carry out preliminary calculations and feasibility studies and I  contact the suppliers for the components selection. This means dynamic and structural calculations and checks as well as oversee my close collaborators.

Even the most complicated cases of assistance are in your wisest hands?

That’s right! It is easier to have a general picture of the situation if the machine, basically, is your creation.

These are often inputs that are not just related to the technical field but that put me into collaboration with many other company departments as the commercial and production one.

When SCHIATTI hired you, what were you doing?  

I did my first step in the company in 2006. I was hired as designer.

Mine, has been a linear path with a clear identity starting from the beginning. In 2008, two years after ,I became manager of the technical office.

And before designing the machines for the glass processing, what were you doing?

I was studying. I know it is an unusual thing for out times but this is my first job.

I think it is one of the happy case in which you grow up in a company, you feel like you are home and you stay there for long time, very long time.

This year, SCHIATTI and me are celebrating our 14° anniversary!

What’s the great thing about designing an edger or a beveller? 

There are several stages that I like but the greatest satisfaction is to forge something starting from a blank piece of paper up to the production. It is always exciting  to see one of our machine working and think that it was born from my doodles, strictly done with the red pen.

And what’s the great thing of working at Schiatti?

Each machine born from a specific project, often customized, and always cared with great attention.

And then the trust and desire to get on, innovate, even daring.

Like the time when it seemed that my project of vertical driller was impossible. This word didn’t pleased me and neither the management which allowed me to work on it. Today it is one of our top models.

Innovation and trust; another advantage of being part of SCHIATTI team?

The family environment. Despites the attitude to dynamism, our relatively small dimension allows to have direct relationship with all the company departments. This generates a very friendly atmosphere, shortening red tape and procedures.

Which is the heaviest part of your job as machines designer?

Probably the pressure for the delivery time. Flexibility is one of our strong point and it is also a great commitment. For delivering in short times and within the date wished by the customer, it is often necessary to keep a sustained pace and a constant and high focus.

What would you do if you wouldn’t have become an engineer?

My interest has always been the functioning (at all levels) of  things. I have always been fascinated by the field of physic research, from particle physics to astronomy.

I mean, I would have always been an engineers (you born in that way) but maybe not in the mechanical field.

Let’s talking about Attila in his free time: do you play any sport?

The bad conditions of my joints wouldn’t like it. I swim on an amateur level and I love to walk for a long with my  family, of which my dogs are in all respects.

Motorcycling can be considered a sport? In that case I would be a champion.

So you love motorbikes. Other passions? 

DIY (joinery and electronic) and videogames.

And then, I’m very curious: ever since I was a child I always liked to learn new stuff. A few years ago I was reading the encyclopedia; now I read Wikipedia.

Attila is a practical man, determined who knows what he wants.

He tells us that, in the private life he has carefully selected the affections and the people around him, just because he loves to spend with the others some quality time.

He is a precious team member which in many years has been able to bring great added value to the Company and not only in terms of technical design but also for that great exemple of commitment, honesty and ingenuity that every day he brings to Schiatti.

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