April 2004
Info Provided By:
Maggie DeJong, CSWP
As a privately owned company, American Fluorescent
Corporation has been an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
of fluorescent lighting products since 1938. Currently
one of the leading lighting manufacturers for Energy
Star certified fixtures, American Fluorescent offers
a vast assortment of products spanning the spectrum
from standard strips and troffers to innovative decorative
fixtures for commercial, light industrial and residential
applications. They serve markets such as do-it-yourself
stores, contractors, hotels, hospitals and lighting
showrooms. The company presently employs approximately
150 people.
American Fluorescent once used 2D CAD only. Maggie
DeJong, Project Engineer and Certified SolidWorks Professional,
found that SolidWorks made the transition from 2D to
3D very simple. “SolidWorks has enabled us to
bridge the gap from 2D into the 3D environment with
easy-to-use, intelligent, economical software,”
she says. “SolidWorks is user-friendly and less
complicated than some software available, with all the
power and functionality we need.” Because the
company still has a large AutoCAD database of archived
drawings, 2D geometry is converted to SolidWorks sketches
and then turned into 3D models. “The step-by-step
directions included with the software have been invaluable,”
she attests.
SolidWorks is used for all of American Fluorescent’s
product development, manufacturing, and detail drawings
as well as in-house communications via eDrawings. They
have a growing in-house database of eDrawings located
on their server which can be accessed from computers
throughout the facility. This enables purchasing, customer
service, manufacturing, fabrication, quality control
and production to have instant access to the latest
prints, which has greatly reduced down time and errors.
“eDrawings has enabled us to communicate easier
with our suppliers around the world,” states DeJong.
American Fluorescent found yet another use for its SolidWorks
designs when it recently acquired a Dimension 3D Printer
that quickly and easily converts the designs into SLA
models. “Our in-house Rapid Prototype machine
is a great asset for our sales force,” DeJong
declares.
DeJong has found that there are very few things that
SolidWorks can’t do. However, if she does find
anything to improve upon, she requests it as an update
in the next release and it’s taken care of. Speaking
of SolidWorks Corporation, DeJong affirms, “They
are the only software manufacturer that I can say actually
listens to its users.”
American Fluorescent has worked with Graphic Systems
since their introduction to SolidWorks back in August
1996. “They have always gone above and beyond
what is necessary to make sure I have what I need when
I need it,” DeJong asserts. She finds a low-stress
learning environment when attending the “informative
and interactive” training classes and workout
sessions. She also praises the technical support for
being “highly knowledgeable, prompt and friendly.”
In giving DeJong “just the right balance of service,”
the sales staff has been supportive and eager to help,
without being pushy.
American Fluorescent is located in Waukegan, IL. For
more information please visit: www.americanfluorescent.com.
Maggie DeJong has found uses for SolidWorks outside
of work. As an experienced and passionate SolidWorks
user, DeJong enjoys training others how to use the software
as well. In the Cad Solids/SolidWorks Basic and Advanced
class at Gateway Technical College in Racine, she teaches
a range of people—from high school age to those
on the verge of retirement—who are simply eager
to expand their knowledge or are looking for a career
change. “Having a class available one night a
week for three hours enables saturation of information
and hands-on use of the software,” she says. “The
students are excited to be able to start drawing sketches
the first night and see results of their work as their
parts are made on the prototyping machine at the end
of the semester.” DeJong has also used the software
to build the models and layout drawings to assist with
the Construction zone class for first through fifth
grade children at her church. “The kids get so
excited to see the animation of the eDrawings of what
they are going to build,” she explains. “This
year it will also be a great promotional tool for the
parents at sign-up to watch the eDrawings demo of the
birdhouse or toolbox the kids will be building. The
class is always full.” She also plans to use SolidWorks
for the toddler and kindergarten teacher’s room
layouts at the church’s vacation Bible school.
Additionally, for the first through fifth graders’
games department, she’ll use SolidWorks drawings,
which will include bills of materials for supplies they
will need.
Last fall DeJong employed SolidWorks for a special
at-home project. She hired a contractor to pour concrete
for a pad in front of the garage and a sidewalk connecting
the house, pad and patio. Using SolidWorks, she created
a rough layout of the house, garage and patio as it
existed and how she imagined the concrete being laid
out by the contractor. When her ideas didn’t match
up to the contractor’s due to irregular angles,
she laid out another drawing showing what reference
points, direction of pitch and grade she desired. After
resubmitting the drawing, the contractor re-quoted the
job. The result? DeJong saved money and the contractor
saved time! There was less work for him to do since
she could verify his estimate on the amount of concrete
and framing. “It was very helpful to have the
visual aid of a drawing, “DeJong confirms.
DeJong received a diploma in Automotive from Charles
County Vocational Technical School in Maryland and then
graduated with honors from Gateway Technical College
in Racine, WI with an Associate of Applied Science degree
in Mechanical Design. While enrolled at Gateway Technical
College she was a tutor and has been on rotation for
the Gateway Advisory committee since graduating in 1992.
DeJong has been a Project Engineer at American Fluorescent
since September 2000 and a member of the Illuminating
Engineering Society since January 2002. Prior to American
Fluorescent, she was employed as a lab engineer by RUUD
lighting, where she also worked in the product support-engineering
department.
Fresh from AutoCAD 14, DeJong started using Solidworks
in 1996. She has attended numerous classes and updates
throughout the years. After taking and passing the Certified
SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) exam in January 2002,
she realized, “Having the certification has opened
doors I didn’t even know were there. Thanks Graphic
Systems! It is hard for a female to make a ripple in
the engineering field. You have helped me make WAVES.”
All Designs compliments of American Fluorescent.
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