Need commitment-free optical engineering expertise? Can’t afford or can’t find a fulltime expert but need help now? Spire Starter’s got you.Get flexible guidance in the design and debugging of: illumination for machine vision systems, weird LED lit effects, optical sensors, aerospace & automotive lighting, commercial luminaires, horticultural lighting, red light therapy devices, laser manufacturing processes, and more!If it uses light but doesn’t form an image, Spire Starter can probably help you. —> That’s “non-imaging optics” - our specialty.Tips, tricks, and hacks from a wide variety of industries are drawn from to optimize your device. Plus, with optical simulations, a virtual model of your system can be developed and tested at high speed **without** building multiple iterations of physical prototypes. You might hear it called “virtual prototyping”.Simulations also aid in root cause analysis when your manufactured system suddenly and mysteriously stops working. We can change individual parameters while holding others constant and see the effects. That can be impossible with physical testing!Usually, LightTools is the optical simulation software that would be used for your project, because of its flexibility. Simulation software is always included in the rate you’re quoted, whether hourly or project-based.Once you do get to physically testing your system, we can help with that, too. Whether you need photometric, radiometric, photon flux measurements, -OR- FMVSS / ECE, Blue Light Hazard, K-Mark, Energy Star and other regulatory tests, Spire Starter can walk you through it and make sense of the results.To learn about what optical guidance we can provide in a contract, schedule a free preliminary 20-min Zoom consultation on the homepage:https://spirestarter.com/#book-consult-homeOR book up to 90-minutes of 1-time optical engineering guidance without simulations here:https://tidycal.com/spirestarter/engineering-consulting

OddEngineer isn't technically a new company yet -- it's still a Spire Starter LLC experiment... but maybe, one day!If you're lacking hard-to-find talent on your physical product engineering team, check out OddEngineer.com. The pilot for finding niche engineers with whom you can immediately book and pay for 1-on-1 conference calls ended May 26th, but stay tuned for future developments!For now, check out resources for freelance hardware engineering like: the Freelancer's Framework Guidebook on branding, the hardware networking event calendar, and, of course, sweet, sweet nerd swag.

This online and print tech magazine picked me up as a columnist to share my ramblings until the point in time when they come to their senses.

Writing about all the wild spaces and tech and nerds I come across in my travels.

Led optical design and evaluation of indoor, outdoor, residential and commercial luminaires.

• Simulated and evaluated optical performance of exterior automotive lighting systems using CATIA V5, ASAP, integrating sphere, goniophotometer• Technical point-of-contact for integration of European-developed technologies into domestic designs• Managed U.S. and Chinese contract optical engineering projects• Identified and solved LED board design and manufacture problems to meet system performance standards• Traced root causes of lighting system failures to issues across a broad spectrum of both internal departments and suppliers and found solutions to meet timing and performance targets• Educated auto manufacturer customers and management on design possibilities and problemsthrough tailored presentations, demonstrations and reports

• 8-month relocation to German branch within the optical development department• Developed and taught S.O.P. for the creation of optical scatter models (BRDF) in ASAP from measured materials• Managed communication between optical engineering, mechanical design and production companies• Built and designed components for test stages used in quality control of machine vision sensors and research• Toleranced optical sensors and simulated optical test equipment in ASAP• Approved optical design prints and materials, and prototype quality• Finished and assembled optical prototypes• Built and demoed product test stage to restore customer confidence and secure €800,000/yr. in sales• Delivered executive-level presentations and reports regarding project status and quality issues

• Developed and implemented patent-pending processes for use in high-volume manufacturing• Identified and solved urgent production-impeding problems by the design and execution of experiments • On-site inspection of German production facility to determine strategic issues with implementing new technology into existing production lines • Compiled, analyzed and documented experimental data and hypotheses• Utilized 4kW diode laser, 6-axis robot and metrology equipment (to cross-section, mount and polish experimental samples)• Formulated key equations for laser and chemistry procedures based on scientific models• Coordinated and participated in multidisciplinary meetings and presentations to communicate and meet engineers’ specifications• Handled and documented hazardous materials in compliance with OSHA regulations

• Resolved procedural issues by initiating meetings with engineering management• Processed engineering documentation via communication with internal & external representatives

•Operated AB Dick 350 and AB Dick 360 offset printing presses•Managed drill press and large paper cutter operations•Performed jogging, collating and padding of products•Assisted with mailing bulk advertising, filing and bookkeeping•Packaged and shipped orders nationwide