Doug brings over 25 years’ experience in the development of mechatronic systems and servo controls for products ranging from high performance, low-volume commercial products to cost optimized, high volume consumer products. In his role as VP of Engineer, Doug leads Simplexity’s design engineering team. He is an experienced leader of multi-disciplinary technical teams, and has a unique knack for communicating highly technical information to non-technical audiences.
Doug was featured on the Embedded FM podcast with hosts Elecia White and Christopher White. In a deep conversation about motors, controllers, and designing mechatronic systems, Doug dives into all things motion. Catch the full episode: There Were Fires.
EXPERTISE
- Electro-mechanical systems engineering & optimizing these systems for the best performance to cost ration across the full electrical and mechanical system
- Designing, modeling and optimization of dynamic systems and feedback control/servo systems
- Designing and developing sensor and data processing algorithms to solve real world problems
- Developing processes and tools support Simplexity’s goal of always producing high quality software and embedded firmware
- Leading technical teams
- Developing and analyzing requirements for development programs
- Scientific and embedded programming: C, C++, C#, MATLAB and Python
- Communicating complex technical topics to non-technical audiences
EXPERIENCE
Simplexity Product Development (2012-present)
- Performed duties in firmware, systems and controls engineering, project management and executive leadership
- Grew Simplexity’s embedded systems team from three to a team of electrical, firmware and systems engineers accounting for approximately half of the Simplexity engineering team
- Created software and firmware standard development processes deliver high quality, robust code
- Managed full projects with mechanical, electrical, firmware and software content to be on schedule and on budget
- Architected firmware and software systems, including a pipelined robotic processing systems capable of handling multiple items in flight simultaneously
- Developed software and firmware for consumer products, production line test fixtures and proof-of- concept prototypes
- Developed optimized motion control systems with both commercial off-the-shelf components and completely customized systems for high production volumes, typically reducing motion control subsystem cost by greater than 50%
- Created custom embedded algorithms such as:
- Extended Kalman Filter based sensor fusion
- Multi-move look-ahead trajectory planning and speed optimization for a consumer 3D printer
- Observer based sensorless speed control algorithms for cost constrained systems
Xzeres Wind (2010-2012)
- Senior Systems Engineer
- Developed wind turbine system specification
- Lead Xzeres’ MKS (UK) Wind Turbine Design Certification effort, and achieving certification
- Performed mechanical analysis of critical components in the wind turbine
- Developed the blade load test specification document & test requirements
- Developed a full system simulation model for turbine control encompassing the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s FAST aerodynamic model, electrical and mechanical drive components, and the real system control firmware, all in Matlab
- Developed algorithms for rotor and inverter control
Hewlett-Packard (1996-2010)
- Served in roles of mechanical and servo systems engineer, completing tenure as the Motion Controls Systems Team Lead for the OfficeJet Pro product line
- Developed feedback control algorithms & embedded firmware for printer motion systems
- Created motor and drive train specifications optimized for system cost and performance
- Developed dynamic thermal model for DC motors & run-time sensorless motor temperature control algorithm
- Designed injection molded plastic, elastomeric & sheet metal part
EDUCATION
- BS, Mechanical Engineering – Oklahoma State University
- MS, Mechanical Engineering, Automatic Control Systems – University of California, Berkeley
- Non-degree coursework – Computer Science – Stanford University
RECOGNITION
- Three HP trade secrets and two defensive publications
- “Control Systems Challenges in the HP Personal Printing Application’, 2005 American Controls Conference
- “DC Motor Protection using New Thermal Models’ with S. Sugathevan, HP TechCon 2009
PATENTS
- 429,279 – Ornamental Design of an Inkjet Printer
- 429,759 – Ornamental Design of an Inkjet Printer
- 6,244,765 – Vibration Isolating Attachment System for Inkjet Carriages (Mechanical design)
- 6,666,375 – Rotary Encoders (Mechanical design of a low cost encoder position encoder disk design)
- 6,669,323 – Mechanical Deflection Estimation for Ink-Jet Service Station Motion Servo
- 6,674,260 – DC Motor Control (Calibration Based DC Motor Temperature Control)
- 7,692,399 – DC Motor Control (Dynamic Model Based DC Motor Temperature Control)
- 9,033,450 – Printer and method for controlling power consumption thereof
- 8,899,717 – Print speed determination based on a power budget
- 8,719,599 – Monitoring subsystem power
INTERESTS / OBSESSIONS
- Spending time with my wife and two sons
- Playing and watching soccer
- Snowboarding
- College Football & Basketball
- Making things move
- CNC Milling
- Embedded control systems
FAVORITE QUOTES
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
— Leonardo da Vinci
“Gromit, that’s it! Cheese!”
— Wallace
BLOGS
MEDIA
- Featured on the Embedded FM Podcast – Episode 332: There Were Fires
- Presented the Motion Control Systems & DC Motors On-Demand Webinar