Click here for part 1 of the blog
Our software developers might not be from the stars, but their work is galactic! They develop robot control systems for six-axis robots, computer vision algorithms, image processing methods and much more. Fascinated by robotics? Feel at home in the world of software? Join our team and explore new worlds of technology with us!
We’ll tell you more about software development in robotics at KNAPP in this blog post. Our colleague, Alexander, will share some insights into his career, his daily work and what the future of robotics holds in store.
What’s it like working as a software developer in robotics?
Our smart software controls shuttles, bots, AMRs, articulated robots, pocket sorter systems and much more. In software development, we handle a wide range of tasks. Our software developers form the human link between the world of software and the world of complex mechatronic robot components. On our team are experts in C++, Linux, CUDA, and computer vision, who are no strangers to Fanuc, Kuka and other robot systems. They have a hands-on mentality, which is also evident in their independent testing of the various robots. The job is challenging and fulfilling, especially when you see how our robots are used in exciting projects around the world.
A window to our world of technology
Have you met our Pick-it-Easy Robot yet? Watch it in action here:
Coffee & tech – over coffee, our colleague Matteo from Product Management talks about how the fully automatic picking robot, Pick-it-Easy Robot, learns and much more.
Interview with Alexander Kappler –
His career path from apprentice trainer to software developer
How did you become interested in robotics?
My father worked in logistics, and we used to tinker with things together. I have wanted to build machines that made life easier since I was a child.
Our robotic systems are a big help to people working in the warehouse. Work smarter, not harder! My programming lines serve to automate many processes in the warehouse, creating a modern work environment there.
What career path led you to the Robotics & Machine Learning team?
I graduated from the HTL secondary technical school in Pinkafeld with a focus on electronics and technical informatics. At KNAPP, I started as an apprentice trainer in the area of application development. During my bachelor’s thesis, I worked on a project in the Robotics & Machine Learning Department. Once I finished my thesis, I realized I liked the field so much that I transferred to that department. There is a lot of opportunity to develop your career in a large company, and for me, that’s a real added benefit.
How does your day start? What are your main responsibilities?
My day begins in a carpool that includes a team colleague and my girlfriend, who also works at KNAPP. As soon as I get to the office, I check my emails and messages in Teams. Then our team has a short stand-up meeting, where we talk about any new developments and our daily tasks. After that, I start programming. I mainly work on computer vision, which is also the subject of my master’s degree at Graz University of Technology. Computer vision (image processing) is everything that has to do with object recognition by cameras and the mathematics behind it.
What part of your job do you find especially fun?
I like working in a team, discussing things with the informatics experts from other areas in our department and tinkering. We also always strive to keep up-to-date, so we follow all the scientific publications. During development, we don’t just focus on one product, but pay attention to the intelligent interaction with other software solutions that are combined later in the warehouse.
Which programming languages are used?
Our entire software stack is 90 percent C++ code and the remaining 10 percent is scripting languages, such as Python.
Which three words would best describe your job?
Diverse. Pioneering. Embedded.
Why do you enjoy working at KNAPP?
The company has a great informal atmosphere. Everywhere you look, you see that your colleagues are cheerful. The added plus is the exciting technological environment. I know of no other company that is working so whole-heartedly on robotics while also applying the technology, from the pick-and-place robots to the mobile robots.
What do you see as the future of robotics?
The future will definitely be shaped by artificial intelligence. Algorithmic approaches, however, should never be ignored, since they provide more predictable and deterministic results than artificial intelligence. This is highly desirable in most applications, especially in an industrial environment.
Our development locations in Styria
#weareknapp – 7,700 employees worldwide, with more than 2,100 people working in software. In the region of Styria, we are among the largest IT employers. Thanks to our innovative technologies, we are successful around the globe. We not only develop software at our headquarters in Hart bei Graz but also at our locations in Leoben, Dobl and Raaba/Grambach.
Eager to join our robotics team?
Then kick off your career at KNAPP and shape the technologies of tomorrow. Whether you are a rookie, an old hand or a career changer, we look forward to getting your application for the position of software developer in robotics! Access our job portal.
We are hiring:
Teamleader Software Developments Robotics (m/f/d)
Software Developer for Mobile Robot Systems (m/f/d)
Find more open jobs in software development and other fields here: job portal
Further reading recommendations
Future jobs – digital transformation, big data and artificial intelligence are keywords that are also revolutionizing our working world. As a result, we now have professions that seemed inconceivable just a few years ago. We would like to introduce some of the colleagues behind our innovative technologies who are now working in occupational fields of the future. Read on to see what these jobs involve and what makes them so exciting.