Profile
I am currently a design engineer working for Sevcon in Gateshead Tyne And Wear working as an embedded software engineer – I have been here for 1 year – working on motor controllers – specifically developing J1939 CAN based protocol for use within the automotive industry. Also worked with Sevcon’s version of the CANOpen protocol.
Previous to that I was a Senior embedded software design engineer at Variable Message Signs (VMS) Gateshead – and worked there for 7 ½ years – specifically writing embedded software for their ‘5th’ Generation’ equipment of signs. This involved working with the FPGA Nios soft core. Also wrote VHDL peripherals to work in conjunction with the Nios core. In addition worked on VMS rail signs specifically on an ACTEL Flash based FPGA – written purely in VHDL to safety integrity 3 (SIL3) level.
Prior to that I was at Turbo-power systems for just over a year working on the Dreamliner aircraft project as an embedded software engineer.
Prior to that I was at a company called Analox in North Yorkshire working on configurable gas monitoring systems for deep sea diving projects.
Prior to that I was a Senior Systems Design\Electronics Engineer employed by Data Systems & Solutions, formally Rolls Royce Industrial Controls in Gateshead Tyne and Wear. I gained 20 years experience in the power generation control and instrumentation industry with this company designing both hardware and writing embedded software. Also performed Systems design as required. I gained comprehensive experience in the design of both control and instrumentation equipment at a systems and component level – designing mixed analog\digital circuitry using the latest electronic design\software techniques & tools such as FPGA’s , DSP & automatic code generation tools.
Prior to that I was at university where I graduated with a 2.1 Hons in Electrical\Electronic engineering.
Prior to university I qualified as an electrician with 5 years experience in the Electrical Contracting industry as a qualified Electrician.
Experience Summary
EMBEDDED HARDWARE\SOFTWARE DESIGN ENGINEER
2014 – 2015
• Worked at Sevcon developing the J1939 protocol for use within the automotive industry.
• Targetted Motor controller platforms are the Texas 2812F DSP and Infineon XMC4400 microcontroler.
• Worked with Sevcon’s version of the CANOpen protocol.
• Developed bespoke CAN based protocol
2007 – 2014
• Worked at VMS on a Rail Sign Development which has to be done in logic to SIL III safety level. We targetted an ACTEL Flash based FPGA and the logic is written in VHDL.
• Part of the safety case includes the use of Modelsim PE code coverage tools
• Experience with Synplify FPGA Design Tools
• Worked on a new development for VMS designing a new range of sign products.
These products use Altera FPGA’s and MAX II CPLD devices. The FPGA’s incorporate the NIOS II 32-bit embedded soft core. All the new modules use this soft core and I have experience developing new embedded ‘C’ applications using this product. I have also written some VHDL modules to interface with the central processor core.
I have also evaluated a D16750 UART soft core and a CAN communications soft core on these projects. Both these cores are now being used in the FPGA’s for communications in signs, providing a total FPGA solution for the products.
2006 – 2007
• Worked for Intelligent Power Systems (iPower) in Gateshead as a Senior Design Engineer.
I primarily worked on a 28F12 Texas DSP Processor, developing vector control motor applications in embedded ‘C’. I also assisted in modelling the motor control system in Matlab\Simulink. I Learn’t vector control from basics to application code. The project was for the New American aircraft – Dreamliner.
2004 – 2006
• Designing a configurable display control communications module for Analox. Originally based around the PIC18F series of micro-controllers and the Hi-Tech ‘C’ compiler. This has was then upgraded to the LPC2138 Philips ARM based 32-bit RISC processor and Keil uvision3 IDE. The system is a safety critical one to SIL level 2 and BS65108. I worked on this system with two external contractors with safety system related experience. Having Designed the hardware I went on to work on a Remote Sensor unit application software. The software is written to be compliant with MISRA C 2004 guidelines.
• 1984 – 2004
I gained 20 years experience with Data Systems & Solutions as a Design Engineer –Used Matlab\Simulink to develop an engine controller for small – 30MW – combined cycle power generation plant. The use of Matlab\Simulink in combination with its real time workshop allows the controller to be designed in block diagram format that is then automatically coded into ‘C’.
• Designed an embedded real-time valve controller module for use in an Electro-Hydraulic Governing (EHG) system. The board uses an Hitachi H8 micro-controller in conjunction with a Spartan II Xilinx FPGA. The FPGA is a mixed design using Schematic Capture & Verilog. The Verilog code was used to implement a PIC1657 micro-controller inside a Xilinx Spartan II FPGA.
• Design Engineer for the development of a Triplex Modular Redundant (TMR) Active Magnetic Bearing (AMB) control system to a value of £140,000. This system was designed from concept through to implementation, it includes two new electronic board designs – one a DSP module based around the Texas TMS320C4x processor and the other based around the latest Xilinx range of FPGA’s. The processor board was programmed in ‘C’ and the FPGA’s in Schematic capture & Verilog. The target processor was then upgraded to the latest TMS6701 floating point DSP – for performance – this was a military development project.
• Design of two new electronic modules used in Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) systems – based around micro-controller and FPGA technology.
• Re-design of two new electronic modules using modern digital techniques to replace an obsolescent system.
• Two new module designs for a SCADA development based around the INTEL embedded 386ex processor and 8051 INTEL micro controller.
• Design of a TMR high integrity Electronic Over speed Trip System used for protecting rotating equipment – mixed digital(FPGA) & analogue design.
• Design of a new range of large steam Turbine Supervisory Instrumentation Equipment (TSE) for critical steam turbine measurements. Designed hardware, performed systems design and wrote the embedded code for the equipment –the programming language used was FORTH and assembly.
RESPONSIBLE DESIGN ENGINEER
• Responsible Project Engineer for TSE contracts at Pulau Seraya (Singapore), Budge Budge (India), La Collete (Jersey) a total contract value in excess of £500,000.
• Spent over 4 months in Singapore in 1996 as a commissioning engineer.
• Responsible Project engineer for TSE equipment at La Collete power station in Jersey from design through to commissioning.
Key Skills
• Embedded Software in ‘C’
• Product design from concept through to test.
• Mixed analogue\digital hardware & software design for embedded control systems.
• Project and engineering management from tender, through design, manufacture, installation and commissioning.
• Producing tenders from customer specifications, including material and labour estimates and tender programmes.
• Writing functional specifications, design specifications and test specifications
• Writing product manuals
• Communication of technical and commercial issues with the customer.
• Performing site surveys to assess customer requirements.
• Resolving technical problems at works and site and feeding the solution back into new designs.
• Test and commissioning of completed equipment.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Visio Technical.
Training
• UML modelling for’ C’
• Altera Quartus FPGA design and NIOS II soft core development.
• Data Communications For Instrumentation & Control.
• Matlab\Simulink Control Tools – control modelling tools with auto code generation.
• Client/Contractor National Safety Group Safety Passport.
• Microsoft Word, Excel & Visio Technical.
• Postgraduate period of training at C.A. Parsons to complete the IEEE engineering training requirements.
• City & Guilds Coding & Programming C/C++ Level 2.
• JIB Approved Apprenticeship as an Electrician.
Education & Qualifications
University of Sunderland
BSc.(2.1 Hons.) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering 1981-1984
Technical Education Council
Electrical & Electronic Engineering levels 2 & 3 1980-1981
City & Guilds
Electrical Installation Part1 & 2 1977- 1980
Secondary School
4 ‘O’ levels
Hobbies & Interests
Music & Sport
