The latest articles on DEV Community by Nikolai (@noteca). https://dev.to/noteca https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4103010%2Fa4caf6b4-de73-4c6b-9515-3aebb84ca228.jpg https://dev.to/noteca en Nikolai Mon, 31 Aug 2026 18:18:56 +0000 https://dev.to/noteca/from-web-dev-to-hardware-founder-i-build-portable-balancing-instruments-35b https://dev.to/noteca/from-web-dev-to-hardware-founder-i-build-portable-balancing-instruments-35b <p>Hi, I'm Nikolai Shelkovenko — CEO and co-founder of Vibromera, based in Porto, Portugal.</p> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F7oos7pxhf6edsvkthehd.jpg" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F7oos7pxhf6edsvkthehd.jpg" alt="Nikolai Shelkovenko" width="800" height="1201"></a></p> <p>I got into hardware the way many developers do: sideways. I joined the family engineering project to build its website — and stayed. Then came production, sales, and 13+ years of hands-on field balancing: mulchers, fans, crushers, centrifuges and spindles. Along the way I even ran my own mulchers, clearing right-of-way corridors for power lines, gas and oil pipelines — so I'm not only a developer, but also an operator who drove and maintained this equipment himself.</p> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fww2c7hx689tocfb7dydb.jpg" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fww2c7hx689tocfb7dydb.jpg" alt="On my own mulcher, clearing a right-of-way corridor" width="720" height="1280"></a></p> <p>Today Vibromera designs and builds the Balanset line of portable instruments for dynamic balancing and vibration analysis. The idea is simple: a rotor should be balanced where it works — on its own bearings, without taking the machine apart — and the software should do the math so the engineer can focus on the mechanics.</p> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fi1oc3dt7demppatjf87z.jpg" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fi1oc3dt7demppatjf87z.jpg" alt="Field balancing of a fan at a machine-building plant" width="800" height="450"></a></p> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fyhlrqkvif0l8ie6t0nia.jpg" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fyhlrqkvif0l8ie6t0nia.jpg" alt="On-site balancing training with a customer's crew" width="800" height="533"></a></p> <p>Here I'll write about vibration diagnostics, balancing practice, measurement hardware and its Windows software, and running a small engineering company — including how we use AI tools in day-to-day work with customers.</p> <p>More at <a href="https://vibromera.eu" rel="noopener noreferrer">vibromera.eu</a>.</p> hardware engineering career entrepreneurship