Avolites Limited, Park Royal,
London NW10 7XL
Position: CAD/R&D Engineer
Dates: 4th November 1996 to present

Responsibilities 

DDA Limited,
Hounslow, London TW3 2EB
Position: Senior CAD Engineer
Dates: 29th April 1991 - 1st November 1996

 Responsibilities

Worked in the R&D department and was responsible for the generation and modification of circuit diagrams and pcb layouts. I also maintained the various CAD libraries by adding, modifying and documenting all new symbols.
I was also responsible for training various staff members to use the CAD packages.

Technical Skills

• ORCAD STD III was used to generate all the circuit diagrams.
   
   
   

• VUTRAX was initially used to manually layout the circuit boards. As this method was prone to error, it was greatly improved by modifying all our CAD  library symbols so that it was then possible for an ORCAD schematic to produce a netlist which was then used by VUTRAX to generate a rats nest.
  This was then used to design the pcb which VUTRAX could then thoroughly check for true connectivity and clearance.
  This process was further improved by using VUTRAX to generate both the schematic as well as the pcb layouts.
  VUTRAX was more than just a PCB design tool - it was also capable of producing very accurate mechanical designs.
   

•  CorelDRAW V6 was used to create the silkscreen for all metalwork.

These were some of the products that I was responsible
for generating schematics and pcb layouts for :- 

• DDA FORUM - Front of House Console

• DDA QII - Live Sound Console 

Simple to use and hugely powerful, the QII provides full Left/Centre/Right (LCR) panning capability with a single button push on every input channel and can even be extended to the subgrouping system, as an alternative to mono or stereo sub-groups.
Available in 24 (36 module), 32 (44 module), 40 (52 module) and 48 (60 module) Input frame systems with Balanced Mic and Line inputs, Sweep High pass filter, 4-band sweep EQ with switchable Q on mids, Balanced inserts at +4dBu, 8 Aux sends - switchable to pre/post fade, 8 Mono, 8 Stereo or 4LCR sub-groups, 12x8 matrix, 8 mute groups, 8 optional VCA groups, Individual talkback assigns to Matrix outputs, Intergral Clearcom compatible interface, Intergral Test oscillator / pink noise generator.

• DDA CS3 - Audio Mixing Console 
  The CS3 offers advanced stereo mixing performance designed for fixed installations, concert and theatre applications, allowing you to create a more spatial sound stage, sharpen control of vocals and effects and really bring performances to life. 
  Available in 16, 24, 32 and 40 channel frame sizes, Stereo and Left/Centre/Right (LCR) panning modes, Individual routing to groups, Solo-in-place (SIP) mode addition to PFL and AFL, Fully parametric mid frequency EQ on each input, 6 internally configurable Aux sends on each input, Remote mute switch access, 4 Stereo Inputs on each console.
   
• DDA CS8 CONSOLE - Front of House Console
  The CS8 is a large format multi-purpose high quality audio mixing console available in 16 to 48 input versions. 
  A customer specified number of Mono inputs with 4-band EQ : 8 Aux sends : individual group routing and incorporating the DDA Spatial Image System (SIS) to the 3 main outputs, 4 stereo inputs with 4-band EQ, 8 sub-groups, 6 Matrix outputs each sourced from the 8 groups, LCR outputs and an external input, 2 Stereo returns, Pre-fade inserts o Aux, Group, Main and Matrix outputs.
   
• DDA CS12M CONSOLE - Stage Monitor Console 
  The CS12M medium format Stage Monitor audio mixing console offers a cost-effective upgrade from the dual FOH/Monitor mixing scenario and opens up the possibility of using Stereo In Ear Monitoring to systems previously restricted by tight budgets. 
  Available in a custom number of mono input modules each with wide range Mic or Line level input section - 4-band EQ : 12 full-time monitor sends : separate channel level control, Pre-post fader selection, Front panel switchable Mono or Stereo monitor send selection, Built-in Mic Splitter on all inputs with individual ground lift switches, 13 long throw faders, Global +48 volt phantom power disable, Separate PFL and AFL trim potentiometers.

Avolites Production Company Limited,
Park Royal, London NW10 7XL
Position: CAD Engineer
Dates:  April 1988 - November 1991

Responsibilities

Avolites were formed in 1975 by several members of a touring road crew who decided to make better dimmers than those with which they were touring, which seemed to need constant mechanical repair. The dimming range they designed and manufactured became known as the "Avolites FD dimmer".
The subsequent success of the FD Dimmer placed it as 'the industry standard touring dimmer'.

Responsible for designing circuit boards for our analogue as well as digital consoles.
The QM500 series analogue console had computer memory and a very rapid flash button response time. No easy task with the processors available then!

Also designed boards for our range of Dimmers.
Special care had to be taken over these pcbs as they contained very high voltages.

Ferroglen Research,
Croydon
Position: PCB Designer
Dates: April 1989 - November 1991

Responsibilities

This was my very first full-time job since completing my HND course in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Bristol Polytechnic.
Initially, I applied for the position of Test Engineer. However, once I arrived for the interview I was given an instruction manual for a CAD workstation and asked to design a simple pcb.
A few hours later I completed the task and was offer the position of PCB designer.
The CAD workstation used was one by Wayne Kerr Datum Systems.
Within a couple of months I was designing a very large motherboard based around a Motorola 68010 micro-processor.
I also designed boards for the Ministry Of Defence.