Wetstock monitoring.  Fairbanks’s main clients are petrol stations.

[www.fairbanks.co.uk]

Two year contract, preceded by a one year proof of concept undertaken at Liverpool University.

Project Manager

Fairbanks approached Liverpool University to see if certain aspects of highly-flammable hydrocarbon fuels could be measured cost-effectively. I was responsible for researching all conceivable methods before focusing my efforts the best of the bunch. I set-up and undertook a series of experiments in a safest manner possible and provided Fairbanks with regular progress reports. I developed a cost-effective solution that met Fairbanks’s requirements.

Following the proof of concept I was employed on a two year project turning the concept into a commercially viable fuel measurement system (as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership.  between Fairbanks and Liverpool University).

I was proactive in identifying the commercial reasoning behind the project by querying Fairbanks’s directors and clients about what they thought was needed, and used this to form a specification. I researched existing patents and competitors as well as any legal requirements before creating a detailed plan to achieve the various stages.

Throughout the project I tracked progress and detected slippages using GANTT charts.  Unforeseeable technical difficulties occasionally resulted in slippages that required a quick re-plan; this was done carefully as several parties were involved in designing, building and testing of the product and they all had to be supplied with what they needed in terms of information and resources (such as access to the first few prototypes) in order to maintain progress. I organized effective meetings as well as regularly contacted management and suppliers by telephone and e-mail to keep them informed of progress as well as any changes and to help resolve any technical issues or misunderstandings.

I drafted and filed several patents with the help of a patent attorney, and wrote several non-disclosure agreements that ensured the intellectual property was fully protected.

As part of my personal development plan I worked on my people management skills which proved useful in maintaining everyone’s enthusiasm throughout the project, and during negotiations regarding prices, timescales and responsibilities. I also learnt and applied advanced statistical methods such as principle component analysis (PCA)  and multiple linear regression (MLR).

Several design concepts were evaluated using bespoke simulation software and generating risk estimates, until a favourite idea for commercializing the concept was chosen that cost a fraction of existing methods. I obtained good quality data for these simulations by having fuel samples analyzed by an external laboratory.

Several external companies were employed to design and manufacture prototypes. I worked closely with them, providing them with clear specifications, roles and guidance. I encouraged their innovations as well as organized and undertook some of the testing they needed to perfect the product. I used advice from experts as well as my own technical knowledge to guide the project and ensure the design met the relevant safety standards.

I found suppliers for several bespoke parts and many off-the-shelf parts needed to complete the system. I was responsible for purchasing these as well as designing and supervising the systems installation. I also took the product through electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing to ensure all relevant legal requirements were met, as well as the safety standards mentioned below.

The product had to comply with European standards associated with explosive atmospheres (ATEX). I was responsible for determining which standards were relevant, and incorporating these into the design. I coordinated queries to several safety advisors and helped interpret their responses. I learnt a great deal about what safety risks were present and the best ways of mitigating them.

The product then needed to pass ATEX certification. I recruited the best certification body to undertake this work and then determined what documents and tests they needed. I was responsible for writing several key documents (such as risk assessments) and ensuring that all the documents were submitted correctly.

During the system development phase I wrote several pieces of software (using Visual C++) to simulate the sensors, so that the effects of variables such as component tolerances could be assessed at minimal cost. I was also responsible for specifying the firmware and communications protocols incorporated in the bespoke sensor interface.

Due to limited IT resources I wrote the software for the host computer myself (using JAVA). This was a driver that initialized the sensors and recorded basic fuel data. Following this I transferred my knowledge of fuels, analysis methods and the measurement system to Fairbanks’s programmers and helped them produce their own driver software to gather more data. Toward the end of the project I was able to help them test and evaluate the system.

During the project I developed software to extract meaningful information from fuel sensor data. The software had a graphical user interface was written using Visual C++. It used patented analysis techniques developed by Liverpool University plus an algorithm that I had developed.

Shortly after the contract with Fairbanks ended my wife developed a serious heart condition, so for two years I had the challenging yet rewarding role of raising my newborn son. My wife eventually made a full recovery following heart surgery in the summer of 2010.

I used any free time I had to study design patterns, JAVA, SWING, SQL J2ME, 3D algorithms and HTML. I have applied these skills to develop image processing and data processing applications in JAVA and construct websites like this one. I have used my J2ME skills to create a powerful 3D engine for mobile phone gaming.