About PlaToS Consulting

Plato’s philosophy is to consider problems (read: challenges) from many perspectives.
In the realisation of new innovative products, the use of new technologies in some operation steps needs to be considered. When those technologies were not used earlier and thus no internal practical experience is available, the interrelation between classical operation steps and those new production steps, their possibilities and limitations, needs to be considered carefully. The goal is to work out the solutions together by a combination of critical and parallel thinking – because real standards of surface technologies are not available.

By critical thinking I mean a habit of approaching a discussed scenario for a certain solution with step1: the working hypotheses that this approach basically can lead to the desired result. The use of that hypotheses requires of course a certain technical knowledge in that field.
Step 2 is now immediately to consider, if the chosen method could be faced with its given technological limitations, when virtually scaling it up and virtually integrating it in the total concept.
This enables one to decide early, if the discussed approach should be followed further.

By parallel thinking I mean a habit of looking at a given question/problem from the begin on from a variety of vantage points. For example, one might employ a specific methodology to a set problem and then critique his/her work by examining the assumptions of that methodology as the first step in employing a new method which would work in parallel fashion to the first. With respect to problem solving, when a particular method runs into obstacles (due to its inherent assumptions) one who has been trained to critique his/her own operating methods would be able to step back and critique the problems that led to the obstacle and thereby steer a course around.

It is thus important to have within the project team a mix of different technical expertise, but on the other side a “wild goose”-attitude of the participants should explicitly be appreciated. The latter is especially expected from external consultants.

External consultancy thus is useful to bring in an independent attitude of thinking and thus helps to engender an attitude of personal engagement and creativity within the clients’ employees, encouraging them to think about the use of innovative methods and technologies. In addition, this cooperation seeks to inculcate a sense of the importance of a disciplined methodology as a means to investigate various issues, while at the same time revealing the inherent weaknesses and limitations of any system.

Expertise in:

• Plasma and related surface-treatment technologies
• Integration in industrial production environments
• Experience in research, development, engineering and industrialization
• Surface treatment of plastics, textiles, metals
• Industrial industries likes plastic, automobile, textile, medical, electronics

Industrial services:

• Consultancy: support, advice and recommendations
• Search technology solutions related. availability status of industrial development and potential of upscaling
• Concept and feasibility studies
• Internal training in theory/practice for technology and processes
• Hands-on” Plasma surface engineering on your existing installations
• Mediator for demonstration treatments and surface analysis
• Search and brokerage of industrial partners, suppliers and producers
• Support your purchasing department in the preparation of specifications and evaluation of bids received
• External account management “Surface Technologies”
• Translations of technical texts from / to German / English / Dutch

Serving on the basis of

• Primary Advice and “Troubleshooting”
• R&D contracts or project contracts
• Remote account management / Consultant Contract