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CAREER STORY Patrick Buysse

"You just need to portray reality as perfectly as possible." According to Patrick Buysse, Mechanical Designer at ACE, that is the essence of his profession. A conversation about a career in which observation, necessity and discovery are the common thread.

 

Early in the morning, Patrick is getting ready for his working day. The alarm goes off at 6 am and at 7:30 am he is sitting at his desk. Where that office is located changes from time to time, because ACE uses Patrick for various projects. In fact, the essence of the work remains the same. "Actually, I always start by checking my agenda. Is there something special planned, such as a meeting or can I just work on my drawing assignment all day?

In the meantime, I started CREO. "CREO is the program in which Patrick shapes his work. In this program he is able to portray reality perfectly. What he has to draw differs per assignment. "A diaper machine part, a sewer grate, a coffee cup, milk tanks, you can't think of it that badly. In CREO I can build everything little by little. A circle, a tube, a plane. "

 

Perceiving

What Patrick draws must be correct. The part must fit in with the other elements. Accurate work is therefore a requirement. "In principle, I am my own auditor. Before I deliver my drawing to the work planner, I check everything step by step. Fortunately, I work in a team and can ask if someone else is watching. I also regularly go to the factory to check things out. That way I know for sure that it is correct. "

Although knowing the correct dimensions is important in the execution of his tasks, observation is crucial. "In a project with milk cooling tanks, I had to design / draw a part between two cylinder shapes. The most challenging question then is: how does the desired element fit into the space in between? By looking carefully, I can come to a solution. And that is what I like so much about my work, coming up with solutions and working this out by drawing. "

 

What do I want?

ace development & engineering Patrick Buysse Gent 3

If you had talked to Patrick 14 years ago, drawing would have been a far-from-his-bed show. ‘I graduated as an electronics engineer. During my studies I saw mechanical students walking around with those big long pipes with drawings in them. I thought: I'm really not going to do that.' The fact that he now works as a CAD draftsman is a combination of advanced technology, chance and observation. “I was working at a metal processing company. This didn't work at all and the question 'is this what I want?' came up more and more. Together with a career counselor I actually started looking at myself. It was with this job coach that I first became acquainted with engineering firm ACE through an advertisement. I never left.”

The fact that Patrick has been working at ACE for 14 years has everything to do with the reception at ACE. "I entered there completely unknown and was immediately given the key to the building. That's a huge gesture of confidence. In addition, they gave me the opportunity to further develop myself in 3D drawing. That's so great at ACE, there are plenty of opportunities to develop. You do have to be open to this yourself, see opportunities and show initiative. "Patrick gives an example of a project in which he himself showed the initiative. Patrick: "The CREO program has many challenges.

I noticed that for certain types of projects you had to redraw the standard elements every time. Each time you had to place a traverse grid, you had to draw the sand in the boxes again. Can't we automate this drawing work? I thought. "Patrick has tackled this challenge. Now the basis of the drawing is ready within 5 minutes. "I am perhaps most proud of this project at Ferromatrix."

Work like an explorer

When Patrick looks back on what he has done at ACE, he feels a bit like an explorer. "At ACE I work for various clients. I like that because it gives me the opportunity to sample many different technologies. "Working on a project basis does require a dose of flexibility and perseverance. "In fact, I have to start over with every project. For some you are a member of the team, for others an intruder. This is not always fun, but I now know that you have to go through it. It's temporary. I also want to avoid getting into a routine, ending up on the comfortable sofa. The change and variation keep me sharp. A sharpness that is necessary to innovate and improve. "

This story was written in December 2017 by Carrièreverhalen.nl

 

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