At the Heart of Product Engineering: Insights from Nadine Kunz
Nadine Kunz, Team Lead Product Engineering, shares insights into her work, cross-functional collaboration, and the role of Product Engineering at KNF.
Since joining KNF Flodos AG in 2016, Nadine Kunz has grown from Product Engineer to Team Lead Product Engineering. Her interest in diaphragm pump technology began earlier through a hands-on internship in the testing department. Today, she works at the interface of technology, products, and people. In this interview she shares insights into Product Engineering at KNF, the importance of collaboration, and what motivates her to support products and empower people.
What makes Product Engineering the right fit for you?
Product Engineering combines technical depth with close collaboration across teams. At KNF Flodos, we support diaphragm liquid pumps throughout their lifecycle and improve products in real applications.
What I value most is the hands-on aspect. The compact design of our pumps allows me to quickly disassemble components and analyze technical questions in detail, which makes the work both practical and varied.
What types of projects do you work on?
Our Product Engineering team consists of five members. We act as the technical product owners for several small pump series and laboratory pumps. Our work is application-focused. When new components are required for customer applications, we support the process from design and supplier coordination through testing, quality approval, and series readiness.
One recent example is the dosing pump FD 1.200, which introduces the intelligent feature Versatile Dosing with actively controlled valves and user software. A key task for our team is to build up and continuously deepen the expertise gained during product development. By learning from each project and new requirements, we ensure reliable support for future project requests and enable Product Development to focus on new innovations.
As a team lead, what are your core responsibilities?
My main responsibility is to coordinate incoming requests and set priorities together with my team. Open and clear communication is key, as it helps align priorities and leads to better solutions. Each team member has technical responsibility for several products, and I ensure that knowledge is shared within the team and beyond. I find it especially rewarding to see how team members deepen their expertise and grow into their roles.
Which recent project are you particularly proud of?
One highlight was the FF 1.12 project, where we developed a higher-pressure variant of an existing pump series. It was the first time our team took on development in this way, and strong planning and collaboration enabled us to deliver on time and according to specifications. Knowing that these pumps are used in critical applications makes successful implementation of such a project particularly rewarding.
What is a typical workday like for you?
My workdays are quite dynamic, which I really enjoy. I spend much of my time coordinating tasks, from analyzing measurement results to supporting sales inquiries, visiting suppliers, or responding to technical issues.
One longer-term focus is laser welding of PPS. The pump head of our FF pump series is sealed using this process, and our goal is to further develop and automate it for in house production. It is a great example of how we collaborate across teams to turn complex challenges into practical solutions.
What trends and opportunities are shaping the future of diaphragm liquid pumps?
Customers expect diaphragm liquid pumps to meet increasingly strict regulatory requirements without compromising quality or reliability. We address this by selecting and qualifying alternative materials, and continuously improving manufacturing processes.
At the same time, demand for greater transparency and control at system level is growing. Intelligent pump features and data analysis enable better monitoring and support future product development.
Looking ahead, new materials, advanced manufacturing technologies, and improved simulation tools offer strong potential to shorten development cycles, and enhance product quality. Sustainability is also becoming more important, with a focus on traceable materials and recyclability. In practice, this means working efficiently and building on existing solutions wherever possible.
What skills and mindsets are most important in Product Engineering today?
Being open to new ideas and willing to move beyond established solutions is essential. Supporting existing products does not mean we do not innovate. Trying new approaches and learning from setbacks is an important part of progress.
What advice would you give to young women interested in a career in Product Engineering?
Technical careers are still often perceived as male-dominated, which can be intimidating. My experience in Mechanical Engineering has been very positive. Diverse perspectives are valued and lead to better solutions.
If you are interested in science or technology, you should definitely consider engineering. These roles are far more diverse and creative than many people expect and offer many ways to grow based on individual strengths.
