Eelkje's wish comes true at IMS in Almelo

Eelkje already knew as a child that she wanted to do something with engineering later in life. She did not know precisely what it would be, but it definitely had to be technical. She chose to study mechanical engineering at the UT. She did a minor in Biomedical Engineering but still preferred the mechanical direction. She can now finally apply the theory from her studies to her job at IMS!

‘IMS specialises in building (automated) assembly lines and process automation for small, complex products and assemblies. There are currently several ongoing projects for several industries, such as the automotive industry. We designed and made a machine that can assemble adaptive headlights so that the lights are synchronised with the car. This will ensure that the lights turn with the car when steering into corners.’

Eelkje feels completely at home as a Mechanical Engineer at IMS, and she has the opportunity to realise her ambitions. She made a conscious choice for a job where she is involved in the entire process, from the design to the finished product. “I love being able to see and hold a product that you designed or worked on yourself”, she says. “Mechanics will sometimes call you when you have designed something: ‘Put this prototype together yourself. Is this easy to work with? Can you work with it? How much time does it take?’. You need to keep these questions in the back of your mind. The machines must work well, and the person assembling it must also be able to do so easily and quickly."

Her weekly schedule varies greatly, from figuring out why something turned out the way it did to redesigning and drawing 3D models. She works on different subsections of the machine each time, trying to optimise it so that the machine as a whole functions more robustly. “I am also sometimes asked to look at something someone else is having a problem with. I can bring a fresh perspective and analyse where the problem might be coming from. This triggers me into thinking about what exactly is the best solution every single time.” 

The choice was not very difficult for Eelkje. She is originally from a village close to Dokkum, Friesland. She had to choose a different place to live for her studies. “Delft and Eindhoven were a bit more massive and a bit further away. Enschede immediately gave me a good feeling. The place suits my character and habits a lot better. Act normal, that's crazy enough; a nice, down-to-earth mentality”, she says. "I have no regrets, and I've lived here for eight years now!”