Robert W. Challis 1
(541) 929-5064 Robert W. Challis
vOver 15 years experience in taking projects, applications, and products through the entire development life cycle.
vIn-depth experience in producing mission critical and performance critical software.
vVaried application development experience including information management systems, data warehousing, high speed/high volume/high availability (24x7) systems, real-time process and machine control systems, environmental management, and software QA testing/regression analysis.
vProven track record of successes as systems architect, project team leader, team member, and independent solution provider.
vNetwork installation, administration, and programming.
Accustomed and comfortable with working through the entire development cycle: determining customer needs; assessing design/architecture implications; evaluating system requirements; developing and programming the solution; QA testing; implementation; support; enhancement; and migration.
Experience with migration issues: designing software architectures which are easily ported between OS’s; migrating applications to new languages, migrating between OS’s.
Extensive background in providing human/machine and graphical user interfaces, process control, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), and embedded systems used in various industries including welding, casino control, poultry hatcheries, paper testing labs, wetbench wafer processing, food processing, steel billet conditioning, and oil pipeline control.
SKILLS
Operating Systems:Windows 9x, Windows NT, Windows 2000, HP-UX, Linux, SCO Unix, QNX, VMS, Concurrent-DOS
Hardware: IBM-PCs and Compatibles, HP 9000, DEC VAX, Gould PLC, Embedded Control Systems
Languages: C, Dynamic C, C++, VC++, Win32, Basic, BP2, Visual Basic, Fortran, Pascal, Cobol, RPG, SQL, Datatrieve, Assembler
Networking: TCP/IP, NOVELL NETWARE, BANYAN VINES, NetIPC, DECNET, MAP,
SECS I/II, MODBUS, OPTOWARE
Layered Products:Oracle, Microsoft Access, Paradox, Informix, dBase, XWINDOWS, ONSPEC
GUI Tools:Visual C++, Visual Basic, Qt-Windows, kdevelop.
OTHER SOFTWARE SKILLS
Microsoft Office, Lotus Office, Coreldraw, Solidworks, Eagle PCB Design Tools
CAREER MAP
vUnified Process Control, Inc.Owner1988 - Present
Business operations cover two major areas:
vcontract programming.
v design, develop, and manufacture automation systems. Small machine shop for design, machining, and fabrication. Electronics lab to design and manufacture circuit boards.
vAdvanced Control Technology, Inc.Sr Project Engineer1984 - 1988
vBocar ConsultingOwner1981 - 1984
vDigital Equipment Corporation Sr Software Eng.1978 - 1981
EXPERIENCE(the following projects and consulting contracts were provided thru
Unified Process Control, Inc.)
Apr, 2002 - PresentWeyerhaeuser Paper Company
Upgraded the privately-developed paper testing SCADA/Embedded system produced in 1989 to run under the Linux/XWindows environment. Improvements in the embeded control system hardware and software increased the data collection rate by 300% and reduced the benchtop footprint by 90%.
Further upgrades to the system are currently under way to enable Ethernet/Internet access for remote program download, compile, and run/debug, to send e-mail and to serve dynamic web pages.
SCADA, Embedded Systems, C, C++, VC++, Win32, Qt-Windows, KDevelop, XWindows, HTML, SSI, Dynamic C, Z-World BL1700/BL1100, Eagle Circuit Board Designer, Solidworks, Coreldraw, Linux, Windows 2000, Windows 98
Nov, 2001 - Mar, 2002Electroglas, Inc.Corvallis, OR
As QA test engineer, designed and developed a software regression testing facility to capture and save user input and system responses during a testing session. Captured user input could be used to automatically drive future sessions. System responses from the base and current session were automatically compared and differences reported. Conducted manual testing and regression analysis of wafer inspection systems.
C++, VC++, Visual Basic, Win32, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows 98
Aug, 1998 - Nov, 2000Weyerhaeuser Paper Company
Designed and manufactured a paper cutting device to produce 12x12 sample sheets for the quality control lab. This device eliminated operator fatigue, stress, and injury caused by manually cutting these sample sheets. It produced the samples in 1/3 the time and significantly improved test reliability through improved sample consistency, cleanliness, and alignment to fiber orientation. Took the product through the entire development cycle:
customer need assessment and specification
mechanical and electrical engineering
embedded controls design and development
machining and fabrication
component testing
system integration and testing
factory acceptance testing
product support and maintenance
Embedded Machine Control, C, Dynamic C, Qt-Windows, KDevelop, XWindows, Z-World BL1700/BL1100, Eagle Circuit Board Designer, Solidworks, Coreldraw, Linux, Windows 2000, Windows 98
May, 1998 - August, 1998Professional MechanicalAlbany, OR
Designed and developed an automation system to integrate the independent devices used in a large-scale pipe welding process. This SCADA/Embedded system provided centralized configuration and real-time device control resulting in a 20% to 40% increase in productivity depending on the type and size of materials to be welded. The control interface utilized an embedded micro-controller to provide both direct and supervisory control of the various devices. The user interface consisted of a console and pendant. The console provided configuration and machine setup capabilities while the pendant provided real-time “no-look” control of the welding process.
SCADA, Embedded Systems, Dynamic C, Z-World PK2100, Eagle Circuit Board Designer, Windows 98
Dec, 1997 - Apr, 1998DatafindPhilomath, OR
Implemented a Microsoft Access application to supporta manufacturing operation. The system included information handling for customers, orders, vendors, purchase orders, shipments, work in progress, and inventory.
Microsoft Access, Windows 98
Dec, 1996 - Nov, 1997Acres GamingCorvallis, OR
Reverse engineered and enhanced an (almost) abandoned casino control system based on Windows NT, Netware, DOS, DOS Protected Mode Interface (DPMI), and Paradox database. The system provided high-speed, high-volume, high-availability Supervisory Control and Data Access (SCADA) for casinos with up to 2800 slot machines. Every significant event such as coin in/out, jackpot, and player card in/out was tracked in real-time. Each slot machine was equipped with a proprietary embedded system (data collection node - DCN) microprocessor to gather slot activity, to control player point awards and messages, and to communicate with a PC-based Floor Controller. Each Floor Controller (up to 10 per casino) controlled up to 1000 DCNs using a proprietary communications interface card while maintaining player/slot information in a Paradox database located on a Netware database server. The system was written in a combination of Delphi (Windows) pascal, DOS pascal, c, and assembler. Enhancements to the system included:
vremoval of invalid error traffic which reduced system load by 75%
vincrease of Floor Controller to DCN communications rate by 650%, and
vimplementation of a DPMI network messaging interface which provided sub-second communications between Delphi applications running under NT, the Floor Controller(s), and DCNs on the casino floor.
This system is currently operating 3 major casinos in Las Vegas and Reno.
SCADA, Embedded Systems, Delphi Pascal, DOS Pascal, C, Assembler, Windows NT, Netware, DOS, DPMI, Paradox
Apr, 1996 - Nov, 1996Weyerhaeuser Paper Company
Designed and manufactured a paper cutting device to cut sample strips from the production line for use in the quality testing lab. This device cuts up to 3 strips of the heaviest linerboard in a single pass. The sample strips produced are clean, consistent, and precision-cut resulting in a significant increase in the accuracy and reliability of the tests performed.
Took the product through the entire development cycle:
customer need assessment and specification
mechanical and electrical engineering
embedded controls design and development
machining and fabrication
component testing
system integration and testing
factory acceptance testing
product support and maintenance
Coreldraw, Linux, XWindows, Windows 95,
Feb, 1993 - Mar, 1996SummitCorvallis, OR
Designed and developed an automated, turnkey system installation, configuration, and control facility to support enterprise-wide Image Archiving based on an HP9000 HP-UX database server. Archival of reports and graphical images could be stored on hard disk or on optical autochangers (jukeboxes) containing either erasable or WORM media. Autochangers with up to 144 platters (288 sides of 650Mb each) were supported. Therefore, capabilities were provided for automated, 'smart' backup which minimized backup time for very large (2 Gb plus) database(s). Procedures to create, extend, deactivate, reactivate, retire, restore, and backup databases were augmented with automatic fail-safe measures to insure database integrity while allowing maximum user flexibility.
Designed and developed networking software to integrate applications running on HP9000 HP-UX, Intel 486 SCO Unix, PC-based MS-Windows, and HP3000 MPEX platforms. The integration of these platforms was based upon the Unix System V Transport Layer Interface facility (TLI) to transparently support various network providers including, Unix TCP/IP, Banyan Vines SPP (an XNS protocol), Walker, Richer, Quinn TCP/IP WRQnet, and HP3000 NetIPC.
Designed and developed a common network service to interface the above with various applications including Home Banking and enterprise-wide Image Archiving. Home Banking enabled PC users to conduct Credit Union transactions from their desk. Enterprise-wide Image Archiving provided indexing, storage and retrieval of text (reports), and graphical images (signatures and documents) both locally and across the network on magnetic, WORM, or erasable optical media. Single-platter and jukebox optical drive configurations were supported.
C, Unix shell scripting, Image-X, Oracle, Network Programming, HP-UX, SCO Unix, TCP/IP, Banyon Vines, WRQnet, NetIPC, HP9000, IBM PC’s, MS-Windows, HP3000
Jan, 1991 - Jan, 1993Hewlett-PackardCorvallis, OR
As QA test engineer, gathered and integrated server, window manager, client, terminal, and HP Visual User Environment test suites within a single testing architecture providing consistent maintenance, execution, and reporting procedures. The architecture was highly compatible with the XWINDOWS build tree structure to enable simultaneous testing of multiple releases as well as various combinations of layered products within releases.
Implemented Branch Flow Analysis (BFA) capabilities for measurement of regression test coverage for the server, window manager, client, terminal and HP Visual User Environment test suites. Integrated BFA measurement procedures within the XWINDOWS build tree structure to enable simultaneous code development, test development, and test measurement under 3 operating systems, each with at least 2 active version levels and their corresponding layered products. Reduced developer time by 50% by automating testing, analysis, and reporting procedures.
Designed and developed regression testing and test analysis software supporting product quality assurance and performance analysis. Focused on XWINDOWS terminal emulation code (HPTERM and XTERM) running under X11 R3 and R4 on HP-UX, Apollo Domain, and OSF/1 operating systems, over 20 hardware configurations, and approximately 10 concurrent product release sets. Increased the success rate, reliability and repeatability of these tests from 68% to 97% in 4 months. The terminal emulation test suite comprised more than 400,000 lines and 28 megabytes of source code.
C, Unix shell programming, Branch Flow Analysis, Xwindows, HP-VUE, HPTERM/XTERM, HP-UX, HP9000
Jan, 1990 - Jan, 1991Craig Hunter Farms
Developed and marketed microcomputer based turnkey systems for environmental management of poultry incubation chambers. ONSPEC’s HMI/SCADA system provided information management, process trending, and supervisory control of remotely located proprietary chamber control systems. Individual chamber control systems were PLC devices networked to a central data collection node for use with ONSPEC. Designed and developed hardware and software necessary to construct the data collection node.
SCADA, Embedded Systems, C, Pascal, Onspec HMI/SCADA, OptoWare
Dec, 1989 - Dec, 1990Weyerhaeuser Paper Company
Designed and developed the hardware and software for a SCADA/Embedded system to automate the test procedure which most determines the paper selling grade. The system provided all inputs required for setup, calibration, and testing; captured all data sent to the test device display screen; and stored, processed, and presented the data for an entire turnup on a single screen. Automation could be completely disabled and manual operation restored by removing a one connector. This system has reduced operator involvement for this test procedure by more than 90%.
Took the product through the entire development cycle:
customer need assessment and specification
mechanical and electrical engineering
embedded controls design and development
machining and fabrication
component testing
system integration and testing
factory acceptance testing
product support and maintenance
SCADA, Embedded Systems, C, Z-World BL1100, Coreldraw, Concurrent-DOS
May, 1987 - Dec, 1989IntelledexCorvallis, OR
Architect and project leader for an object-oriented SCADA system providing process control, automation and information management to control automated wetbench wafer processing. The software was specifically designed for easy portability to any operating system which supports real-time processing, multitasking, inter-task messaging, networking, and an ANSI "C" compiler. The system was originally developed on a DEC MicroVAX running VMS and was ported to run on an IBM AT under the QNX (UNIX variant) operating system in 8 weeks. A Technical Paper covering this architecture was presented at the 1990 conference of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers in San Jose, CA and will gladly be provided on request.
Designed and developed robotics software for 3 of 11 robot cells in an automated manufacturing process which produced more than 200 hard disk drives per hour. Assisted in final design specifications of robot tools, cell layout and operator safety mechanisms.
SCADA, C, Basic, MAP, Secs I/II, Proprietary serial protocols for various wetbench devices, VMS, QNX, DEC VAX, IBM PC’s
EXPERIENCE(as an employee of other companies)
Advanced Control Technology, Inc.Project Lead EngineerAlbany, OR
1984 - 1987
Directed the development of communications, database and information system software for the automation of a food processing plant. The hardware platform consisted of 7 Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and 2 VAX/VMS systems. The development team consisted of 3 PLC programmers, 3 information system programmers and myself as project leader, system designer and developer of communications and database facilities.
Designed and developed the VAX/VMS - PLC communications facility.
Designed and developed information system software which provided supervisory control of automated plant processes, real time tracking of process events and variances from target parameters, and maintained historical information regarding production levels, ingredient usage, quality analysis, shop floor equipment availability and downtime analysis.
Designed and developed an automatic failover facility for redundant DEC VAX/VMS computers controlling an oil pipeline near Lake Michigan.
SCADA, Fortran, VMS, RMS, FMS, Modbus, DEC VAX, Gould PLCs, OptoWare
1981 - 1984Bocar Consulting
Conducted various consulting/contract programming projects and training seminars. Provided system support/ maintenance service using privately developed system performance monitoring, analysis, and tuning package for DEC RSTS/E operating system.
Fortran, BP2, Basic, RMS, FMS, Datatrieve, Decnet, RSTS/E, DEC PDP-11
Digital Equipment CorporationSr Software SpecialistPortland, OR
1978 - 1981
Directed consulting projects and seminars for business applications and operating system enhancements. Provided technical support for VMS and RSTS/E operating systems, database management systems, communications, languages and other layered products.
Conducted presentations, demonstrations, and benchmarks; prepared competitive analysis reports; and responded to Requests for Proposals in support of the pre-sales process.
BP2, Basic, Fortran, Cobol, Assembler, RMS, FMS, Decnet, Datatrieve, VMS, RSTS/E, DEC VAX, DEC PDP-11
Dept of Assessment and TaxationOperations Mgr/ LaneCounty, OR
1976 - 1978Data Processing Services Mgr
Directed operations and a software development staff of 18 in an IBM 370 mainframe environment supporting the Appraisal, Real Estate Sales Analysis, and Taxation divisions.
Implemented tax payment processing which resulted in more than $500,000 in increased annual earnings to taxing districts.
Recovered a 3 year, $3 million, multi-county cooperative software development project in an IBM mainframe environment which had produced no workable results through an implementation strategy which produced in a functioning system within 8 months.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts, with honors, Computer Science and Business Administration
AuroraUniversity, Aurora, IL