Provision of manufacturing test solutions and services.

Responsible for the design, development and implementation of company strategic, unique, custom and innovative loudspeaker test solutions (transducer design/ development verification and qualification tools) and standards for adoption within our HARMAN Automotive sites worldwide. Responsible for the compilation of technical reports, manuals and test documentation and the organisation and provision of in-house technical training.Responsible for the "well-being", update and support of the Design Engineering test instrumentation and the associated test development expenditure/ budget in Bridgend.

Responsible for the provision of custom stand-alone PC controlled audio test solutions and the design, development, implementation, commission and maintenance of audio test programs, new audio test equipment and test instrumentation for high volume manufacturing and environmental testing. Carried out detailed evaluation and manufacturing feasibility study of industry leading loudspeaker test system for volume manufacture of loudspeakers. Supported test system manufacturer as a beta software tester and helped enhance test software functionality through identification of new test needs. Introduced test system to UK facility and made reports and global presentations. Designed and developed manufacturing acoustic test box. Dealt in depth with Production, Process and Quality issues on a daily basis. Involved with investigations and problem solving. Produced technical reports and presentations, always aiming at continuous quality improvement and total customer satisfaction.

Provision of Greek language tuition. This 30 hours taught course with 20 hours of assessment (use of audio/ video tapes and aural role play assessment) aimed at providing "survival" capability in Greek, corresponding to a large degree to the basic role-playing of GCSE and awarded students an OCN (Open College Network) Level 1 Certificate.During this period the course and the 15-module study material I created was submitted for accreditation and hence assessed by the South East Wales Access Consortium. The Thematic Moderator's Report found it to be satisfactory. From a linguistic point of view it was following a clear situational and functional approach, hence satisfying the scope and objectives set by the Consortium.

Delivered BTEC subjects in Electronics, Microelectronics, PLC, Mathematics, Engineering Drawing, Electrical Applications, Engineering Applications of Computers, Industry and Society, Electronics Craft, C&G 224. Course Tutor for BTEC National Certificate (Electrical and Electronic Engineering 1994-95).

Subcontract Employment. Responsible for the design and development of PC controlled test equipment. Developed MS QuickBasic applications to control IEEE instruments and custom built test hardware. Involved with faultfinding and repair of surface mount electronic assemblies. Collection and presentation of test results. Issue of concerns reports / pareto charts. Involved with manufacturing Quality Circles. Influenced product design and processes for test yield improvement and reduction of manufacturing costs.

Delivered structured training to apprentices on BC ENTRA course requirements in Electronics. Involved lectures and workshops on the design, construction, test and fault finding on analogue and digital circuits.

Automotive in-vehicle test software development.

This company was part of AB Electronics Products Group. It closed in the mid-90s (soon after TT Group acquired it). One of the first and pioneering companies in the UK to develop and highly specialise in thick-film resistive ink technology, hybrid microelectronic circuits, surface mount and mixed technology processes/ assemblies. It won the Queens Award for Export Achievement in 1984 and its new plant in the Rhondda was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles; a helicopter landing pad was purpose built for the occasion! I was specialised in developing in-circuit and functional test software and specifying, designing, constructing and commissioning test hardware for all products manufactured there; from a Mecca detector (low resolution digital compass to detect Mecca for Muslims to face and pray to) to a detonating circuit (I believe it was used in some war or another at that time), to a 12-layer mixed technology video distribution board used during the stock market’s "Big Bang" days.

AB Electronics was a major manufacturing player in Wales until it was acquired by the TT Group in the early 1990s. I was involved with the development of In-Circuit and Functional Test solution for volume manufacture. Responsible for functional testing, board diagnostics, fault finding and Quality Audit of electronic pcb assemblies and systems. Responsible for the design, construction and commission of custom functional test equipment used for production testing and fault finding. Received structured and hands on training in Programming and Applications for the GenRad227X series of in-circuit testers. Responsible for the generation and maintenance of in-circuit test programs and fixturing hardware. One of our products was to supply Sir Clive Sinclair in a box the well known "old timer and mighty" Sinclair Spectrum home computer (AB also made the very early Dragon and BBC computers in our other sister plants in Wales).

A period of 22 months in the National Service. Received 2 month NCO training successfully and served as an English Translator. For a period of 6 months I was assisting with the translation of NATO Standardisation Agreements from English into Greek.

Having fun I guess... Helping with the paper's setting up prior to going to the printers, visiting small Cardiff live music venues, taking black and white photos of local bands, developing films, printing photos (UCC Students' Union dark room) and publishing some on the Entertainment page... I still have my Gair Rhydd Staff membership card to prove it... I remember Zipper playing in the Philharmonic and also the Grass Roots Cafe (alcohol free zone) in Charles Street - "Giving Blood" was one of my favourite numbers... Still have some pictures with Zipper from the late 70s. Those were the days... Student days...