I am currently employed as a Technical Integration Manager, working on microscope scanners for the life sciences market. In the early stages of a product I am responsible for creating an engineering specification out of the marketing requirements, then leading the concept generation for the overall design and its division into modules. During the design stage my role is to co-ordinate the individual designers in mechanical, optical, electronic and software disciplines to ensure that the modules are consistent with the system requirements. I then lead the integration stage and testing of the first complete models against the engineering specification. At this stage, I am also usually involved in solving cross-discipline problems, often fiddly image quality issues rather than functional errors.
At first I worked on A3-format desktop scanners such as the Fujifilm Lanovia Quattro, which is a comparatively low-cost design, though still capable of scanning at 5000dpi and before that I performed the same functions for a more industrial floor-standing A3 scanner, sold as the Fujifilm Lanovia C-550 and the AgfaScan XY-15.
With the decline in the high-end scanner market, FFEI moved into other areas where it could utilise its skills in electro-optical and electro-mechanical systems. I was integration engineer for a large-format injet printing prototype which was used to develop printing processes for printed circuit board manufacture.
Most recently I have been working on microscope scanner systems for various life sciences applications. There have been two products in this series: one for an application determining cell viability intended for the drug discovery market, and one for scanning microscope slides intended for digital histopathology. Both of these projects have been marketed through a co-development partner.
Another aspect of my work is ensuring that our products do not infringe the IP of other manufacturers, and that our work is protected as necessary
In earlier years at Crosfield Electronics I worked primarily as an electronics engineer, leading a small team. Our first job was to redesign the electronics for a machine for engraving gravure printing cyclinders using a carbon-dioxide laser. This involved analogue and digital circuits, and extensive use of microprocessors.
Later, much the same team moved across to work on the early CCD image scanners, and I became more of a systems engineer. At this time, I worked on a large moving table flatbed scanner, which did not make it beyond the prototype stage, and a small-format transparency scanner, which briefly appeared on the market as the Crosfield Celsis 360.
Crosfield Electronics was bought by Fujifilm in 1997.
Two years at Jeaborough, a small electronics design consultancy.
Six years on defence electronics with Decca Radar.
BSc in Physics from the University of Bristol, 1975.
DoB 1954-04-12, British.