Stuart Knowles Email & Phone Number

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Key technical person for a broad range of subjects, not only mechanical. This includes thermal, optics, materials, computational anaylsis (FEA & CFD), sensing and data acquisition (ADC selection).Managed a varying number of directs reports at Invetech whilst mentoring many more within the company (including those outside mechanical engineering)Some technical achievements:* Developed a class leading thermocycling module (eg PCR use) which included the thermal design, temperature sensing system and proprietary control algorithm. The latter ensures precise repeatable therml profiles independent of local environment temperatures through dynamic PID adjustment.* Working on fluorescence detection, refined the Invetech optical module into a highly sensitive yet stable fluorometer system (optics and electronics) with wide dynamic range and extremely low noise - the latter giving excellecent sensivity (typically resolution well under 0.1nM). Development in-house bandpass filter selectionand analysis tool for effective filter selection in multiplexed systems.* Created custom centrifuges in range of 1000 to 10000G for processing biological samples in unusual consumable formats. Mechanical design included rotational dynamics, and BLDC drive specfication including electronics and proprietary control software.

Concord, California, United States

Managed Quartz Fabrication cleanroom facility for manufacturing MEMs gyroscopic sensors Standard and proprietary semiconductor processes used to process quartz wafers 24/7 operation with 275 headcount producing up to 360K sensors per weekFirst year achievements include:* Raising overall sensor yield from 76 to 84%, and FPY from 36 to 55%* Reducing consumables budget by $880K (over 10%)* Resolving regulatory issues with chemical storage and VOC emissionsAfter reporting to the GM that a complex data analysis indicated issues with precious metal losses, was singularly trusted to investigate and report to GM and CFO only. Conducted the loss investigations and discovered significant theft. Subsequently handled all law enforcement contact and the extensive insurance claim process, including producing a detailed financial loss analysis. Concurrently, developed and implemented new handling and storage procedures, and specified new CCTV system to ensure any theft would be rapidly identified and rectified.

Concord, California, United States

Key to this period of experince was the companys growth profile. In July 1996 Systron began automotive production at 10K units / month. By 2006, the rate was over 1M units / month - more than a 100X increase in 10 years. All experience below typically required detailed scientific knowledge of the physics involved and an engineering approach to create innovative solutions - resulting in various patents, trade secrets or proprietary equipment.Designed new MEMS sensing elements for both automotive and aerospace applications, including a breakthrough gyroscope design which by 2010 had exceeded 200M units and over 1B USD in sales.Awarded Systron Donners "Harold Morris for Technical Innovation" in 2001. Only 3 awards ever presented between 1953 and 2009 by the aerospace company, with Harold getting the first award!Supported the sensor production by inventing proprietary equipment for the manufacture of MEMs, packaging devices and calibrating sensor modules in order to improve yield, throughput and quality - typically all three. Examples include: * A proprietary "double sided" lithography equipment in 1997 which was upgraded to sub 100nm alignment accuracy in 2000, and enhanced with custom UV laser scanning exposure in 2004 (automotive production would not have been achieveable without this system)* Developing automated laser ablation techniques for sensor tuning reducing process time from 24s to 7s with yield improvement* Creating a high speed vacuum bake system, reducing process time from 24hr to 1hr* Inventing an in-process quartz etch monitor reducing throughput time from 2.5 to 1.5 weeks, with accompanying WIP reduction and bonus discovery of yield improvement through better process targeting

Bachelor'S In Engineering, Mechanical, Honours 1St Class

Awarded Alan.G.Jones Medal for Manufacturing Engineering

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Organometallic Chemistry, Honours (Additional 4Th Year)

Minors Applied Mathematical, Physics