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Examples of Typical Digital Technical
Engagements
This
section describes some typical projects that we have been involved with
in the past. The examples include the background, what was done to
assist the project and the results.
Examples
of Projects
Need
for Engineering coverage at small firm that lost their Digital Engineer
Situation
Client was creating a significant upgrade in their
system. A design had been started, and needed to be updated and
completed in a hurry.
Tasks
Performed
Reviewed the existing documentation, assessed the
required changes, wrote functional specification and brought in an FPGA
engineer to complete the required pair of FPGAs. Updated and completed
the circuit design in Orcad. Held design reviews, and interfaced with
the layout engineer to assure signal integrity in the design. Tracked
FPGA completion and coordinated Design Review Meetings.
Results
Client was able get the design completed quickly, and
into test to meet schedule deadlines.
Requirement
for a quick turn very large FPGA Simulation PCB design
Situation
Client was overloaded with work, and needed a very
quick turn design for a complex simulation test card.
Tasks
Performed
Worked with the client to create a definition for the
tasks, and joined with a second engineer to work on a 30 sheet
schematic in parallel to complete the project very quickly. Interfaced
with layout person, and completed the card in record time.
Results
Card was completed with a card available within a
month. This permited the simulation testing of a total large
ASIC circuit in an FPGA. This sped up ASIC completion
by several months.
Design
of a large number of DSP Circuits on a single card to be used for
testing a large PBX like system
Situation
Client was overloaded in regular engineering staff and
didn't have capacity to design a large test system to validate their
product with extreme telephone traffic.
Tasks
Performed
Worked with the primary engineering staff to produce a
specification for the card design and the FPGA design. Located FPGA
designer. Completed the design and schematic capture to tight schedule,
then debugged and tested it. Worked with systems engineer to make the
circuit function at the system level.
Results
Finished the design with no defects in the card and got
the system "up and running" in record time. Customer was able to locate
data traffic problems in their design and correct them.
Design
of a special purpose satellite communications card
Situation
Client was designing a large satellite communications
PCB as part of a large system. They were short on staff with the
required talent to complete the task.
Tasks
Performed
Took over the final design of the card. Made changes to
create newly required functionality and completed the card design and
schematic capture. Interfaced with layout person, and led and performed
the testing of the final card for functionality. Produced all of the
formal design documentation to allow the card to be assembled offshore.
Results
Client was able to complete a design in trouble, and
get it into initial manufacturing, ready for a system test without
having a several month delay to find a new, qualified engineer.
Need
for a quick design of a microcontroller card for a servo controller
Situation
Client lacked engineering staff to complete a card
level design needed for a system servo upgrade. They needed the design
in a hurry, and had a low target cost. Card had to fit in a particular
space available in the system.
Tasks
Performed
Created a specification and block diagram for the new
circuit that defined its inputs and outputs and overall functional
requirements. Located Servo driver components, designed and did
schematic capture for the card, interfaced with layout, shepherded the
fabrication of the cards, wrote embedded controller code, debugged and
tested the card itself and the card in the actual system.
Results
Completed the design in record time, ready well ahead
of system schedule requirements. Prevented potential delay in system
test of overall system.
Need
for a fast design of a complex microcontroller card for a very large
battery charging system
Situation
Client had received a contract and had only one design
engineer, unfamiliar with microcontroller design. Design had to be
completed very quickly.
Tasks
Performed
Worked with the client to create a specification for
the controller card and its functionality. Worked with another firmware
engineer to create a software spec and prototype so he could begin
coding of controller software very quickly in parallel with the card
development. Then completed the design of the controller card,
interfaced with layout person, worked with getting the card fabricated,
debugged and tested the card by itself, and in the system.
Results
Customer was able to meet his schedule for a working
initial prototype in record time of just over one month. Final product
of a large number of cards in systems were deployed at their clients
factory.
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