Niels van Lit - Design Engineer

Triumph profile: Design Engineer

Niels van Lit

Graduated in 2006 with a Beng in Automotive Engineering from the HTS Autotechniek in Arnhem the Netherlands.

After working in the Netherlands for a couple of years for a company specialised in developing and manufacturing suspension components for the motorsport industry, I had decided it was time for a change in my career and a new challenge.

Because of my love of motorcycles and the fact that over the last years Triumph became more and more noticeable in the Netherlands as an established brand and a serious competitor in the global motorcycle industry, I decided to apply for a position as a design engineer at Triumph.

When I started working at Triumph as a design engineer, Triumph brought me up to speed with the development process and my specific role within this process, by enrolling me on many training courses, including advanced CAD training and organisational training and introducing me to different departments within the company.

I’ve started working on a cruiser chassis design team, where I’m responsible for the development of the wheels, swingarm and brake system including ABS.
Something that I’ve found very appealing is that I’m responsible for the entire development process of these components, from the early scheming phase until volume production. Because of this I’m gaining knowledge and experience of a complete project cycle.

As part of my design responsibilities, I’m a member of the Triumph brakes and wheels working group. These groups are responsible for the development of best practise standards relating to the design and manufacture of these specific components as well as the updating of related in house procedures. It also gives the opportunity to discuss brake system and wheel related issues across various projects and models further broadening the knowledge base within Triumph and of the individual Design engineers.

Triumph offers many other options to further increase my knowledge as a design engineer by offering extra responsibility’s such as becoming the chassis liaison engineer between the chassis design team in the UK and the chassis testing department abroad, or by becoming the design team’s general CAD or steel pressing analysis representative.

Triumph differentiates itself from many other companies by having an open door policy. People are encouraged to discuss technical matters with engineers from other teams and departments and everyone is being kept up to date on the progress of different projects that they are not personally involved in. Because of this I feel like a valued member of the organisation and being part of a close group of enthusiastic engineers.

Triumph keeps growing as a company and becoming more and more noticeable in the media and on the public roads. Triumph has a wide range of exciting motorcycles which will only increase in the future and become more advanced without compromising the Triumph style and heritage. Being part of Triumph and this process makes me proud as an engineer and gives me a great sense of achievement.