William C. Birthisel

Principal,  Birthisel Engineering

 

232 Main Street,  PO Box 93

Cumberland Center, ME, USA 04021-0093

web: http://members.aol.com/bbirthisel

email: wcbirthisel@alum.mit.edu

phone: (207) 829-9169

 

 

Executive Summary

Make computers work reliably in manufacturing and other high-availability environments.

Create new systems, hardware and software individually or through a team effort.

Provide training, installation, field service and support in the U.S., Canada and abroad.

Draw from thirty years of hardware and software design experience, in many varied work settings and cultures, to provide the depth needed to solve complex problems.

 

 

Key Skills

Possess a gift for troubleshooting: hardware, software, and the gray areas in-between

Quick study, and continuous learner, blending innovation with experience

Comfortable with software porting, cross-platform applications and multi-OS environments

 

 

Birthisel Engineering Highlights

·         Emulated an obsolete SCSI device (in target mode) using an embedded PC, NT4Embedded, and C

·         Served as the "On-line Payments Specialist" for a major UK-based ecommerce company focusing on security, reliability of CGI-based transactions, and server installation/administration issues

·         Supported existing Vanguard 500 CNC controls installed at client sites worldwide

·         Maintained Source Code Archive - C, Pascal and Assembly

·         Created Archive Tools - Index, Change History, and Text Search

·         Programmed PDA for Barcode and Weighing Data (Agricultural research lab)

·         Developed machine tool In-Process Monitoring and Inspection software

·         Devised and implemented Fault-Tolerant machine control algorithms

·         Designed PC keyboard to Legacy Device input converter

·         Implemented interfaces for Automated Guided Vehicles and Tool ID Transponders

·         Managed library automation project including Database repairs and data-integrity validation

·         Created dedicated board-repair facility at a client site

·         Performed custom programming: C, Pascal, Perl, Script Languages, CNC Part Programs and Macros

·         Delivered Unix and NT system administration and configuration support to various clients

 

 

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, SB, Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1971

 

 

Previous Experience

1983-1992: Lead Controls Engineer, DeVlieg, Inc.

  • served as group leader for all aspects of Vanguard 500 CNC development
  • designed analog, servo and digital interface hardware
  • created board and system tests
  • developed and installed applications software
  • provided comprehensive customer-site troubleshooting, training, and applications support
  • handled system administration for a 4-computer Unix network.

 

 1979-1983: Controls Development Engineer for Honeycomb Systems (now Valmut)

  • Created both hardware and software for a multi-CPU control computer.
  • Designed and specified electrical interface to paper-drying machines.
  • Supervised machine installation throughout the USA, Canada, and Europe.

 

1977-1979: Test and Quality Control for IMLAC Corporation

 

1976-1977: EAROM Product Support for General Instrument

 

1974-1976: Energy R & D for the Maine State Housing Authority

 

1973-1974: DTL Product Support for Fairchild Semiconductor

 

1972-1973: IC Test Development for Transitron Electronics

 

 

Publications

Articles in The Perl Journal:

#13 (Spring 1999) "Controlling Modems with Win32::SerialPort"

          (selected for "Best Of" collection, Spring 2002)

#16 (Winter 1999) "Win32 Module Installation"

#17 (Spring 2000) "The X10 Nitty-Gritty"

 

Author or co-author of the CPAN Perl modules:

  • Win32::SerialPort, Win32API::CommPort, Device::SerialPort
  • ControlX10::CM11, ControlX10::CM17
  • MARC, MARC::XML

 

 

Professional

§         Senior Member, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

§         Participant YAPC 2001, Montreal (Perl conference).

§         Former Member, EIA Working Group PN2155 (SERCOS and Machine Tool Electrical Interface).

§         US Citizen.

§         State of Wisconsin Substitute Teacher License