An Industry specific CV for Bob Podd
Getting Software Out on Time ... for a Change!
This document presents some of the software coding projects personally implemented by Bob Podd, President of Software Results Incorporated...
The IC FAB Industry
Varian Ion Implanter Systems - Gloucester MA. needed help to support Asyst SMIF ARM loader systems for the highly automated AMD FAB 30 Integrated Circuit manufacturing plant in Dresden Germany. Their problem was that the time it took their last integration of a similar system indicated that they would be too late in producing the software to effect this interface. This single system sale would determine which vendor sold multiple machines in the second purchasing round. The task was to use my background in past projects programming the Asyst loaders and Fluroware material identification equipment utilizing the SECS II communications protocol to sort through the specifics of the Factory Automation capabilities demanded by AMD. The work product was a structured analysis of the project to transfer my product knowledge to their programming team. Varian's programming team launched their effort's after the AMD survey team's very successful on site inspection. End user references available from:
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Asyst Automation- Wilmington MA. had a problem. They had allowed one of their products to become a dozen. In an attempt to meet individual customers' custom needs, they had weakened the strength of their Reticle Stocker System (RSS). Also, numerous bugs had been introduced during these uncoordinated programming efforts. The task was to combine these multiple versions that ran at only one site each into a single version that ran for every customer's Integrated Circuit Fabrication Plants (FABs). This system runs under a multi-threaded, multi-tasking operating system. The system: controls a custom data base that tracks units' movements in and out of the machine; interfaces with robot software that runs on the same machine; communicates with HOST computers using the SECS communications protocol; and provides a Graphical User Interface that allows the operator to specify which Reticles are loaded and unloaded into SMIF PODs that are manually placed on the machine. The new Universal Reticle Stocker System (URSS) has been installed throughout Asyst's customer base. The end users are delighted that the new system has inherited beneficial process changes used at other FABs. The result is a cleaner-running, more maintainable system that benefits both Asyst and their end users. On site support visits have been made to and references available from:
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The Video Conferencing Industry
Zydacron Corporation- Manchester NH. needed Physical Device Drivers (PDD) designed and coded to complete a large commitment to Siemens Nixdorf for video conferencing systems for the OS/2 operating system. The pieces constructed involved building the Level 0 PDD as well as a Dynamic Link Library (DLL). The PDD was complicated; a large amount of control and data processing was needed. The DLL effected a complex Applications Program Interface (API) to allow easier ports of existing applications software |
Vivo Corporation- Waltham MA. needed a Graphical User Interface (GUI) constructed in an Operating System other than their standard one. I selected a new but very robust C++ library suitable to replicate the interface. A challenge was that the Library's infant, screen builder tool was in terrible shape. The solution was to hand roll the interface by writing the C++ code needed to incorporate the new graphical library. The product was produced on time to the delight of the client. |
The Data Communications Industry
Motorola / Codex Corporation- Mansfield MA. needed an HDLC communications stack built from scratch to run on a communications coprocessor card plugged into an IBM PC ISA Bus. This board ran the Hunter and Ready VRTX (UNIX on a chip) operating system. The product was compiled using cross compilers that ran on networked UNIX Workstations. MCI Corporation- Colorado Springs CO. needed a multithreaded interface designed and implemented to an APPC communications stack. This access point acts as a remote server and synchronizes a connected, Local Area network's windows based PCs and their data base engines with database engines running at MCI's central computer complex. This system allows MCI's top corporate customers to manage their MCI provide phone lines as if they were a private telephone network. |
Cabeltron Corporation- Rochester NH. needed their Spectrum Local Area Network Management System ported to IBM's UNIX OS, AIX. This port of the one and one half man century product was my baptism in fire to the C++ programming language. The Cabeltron approach was to use cfront to convert their C++ into mangled c code. Of course, they provided minimalist debug environment to further enhance this learning experience. FEDEX Corporation- Memphis TN. helped build the first SDLC communications network incorporated to run their nationwide tracking system. Honeywell / Bull Corporation- Billerica MA. - designed and managed the coding of OSI Layers 6, 5, and 4 of their New Terminal Diver System for Local Area Networks. These layers are used throughout their mainframe, mini and micro computer product lines. |
The Personal Computer Industry
IBM- Boca Raton FL. Implemented the Advanced Power Management (APM) Physical Device Drives used by their Think Pad line of notebook computers. These system hooks allow one to move various devices such as CD ROM drives between a docking station and the Notebook's internal areas while the unit hibernates. |
AT&T / NCR- Wright Patterson OH. Designed their series of BIOS and other hardware compatibility testing suites. This allowed them to assess the products from various BIOS and other vendors to produce a quality product and contain costs. |
The Embedded Systems Industry
Marconi Northstar Division- Acton MA. needed to update their aircraft Loran navigational system. The new system needed to meet a more severe FAA requirement and also be able to communicate with a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor as well. The project on this was implemented with a mix of assembler and c language programming. It also involved writing a protected mode operating system for an 80386 chip from scratch. |
General Electric Corporation- Lynn MA. was routinely ruining work while machining large components to produce jet aircraft engines. The problem was that old versions of the tapes that ran the numerical controlled equipment. The solution was to implement a system that downloaded and held a shift's worth of work directly from the factory's CAD/CAM host computer complex. An additional feature was added to allow shop manuals to be embedded in the G Code streamed down from the Hosts. These step by step manuals could be scrolled to a screen to aid the machinist operators. |
Operating Systems & Languages used
Operating
Systems: |
Languages: |
Consultancy Client List
Alloy Computer |
EDS |
Kinemetrics |
Philips |
My Present Life
Software Results Incorporated -
1981- Present. Performing a variety of roles that include:
Coder - Producing custom
software for a variety of industries. Most projects involve some aspect of controlling
hardware. Consultant - Work with software departments and groups who are tired of shipping products late much of the time... I change that. |
Speaker - Addressing public and corporate audiences on how to tune software development processes for on time delivery. Author - Currently on contract with Prentice Hall. Writing the book: Getting Software Out on Time ... for a Change! Due on book store shelves by the end of the year. |
My Prior Life
Previous to becoming a software consultant, I was an employee of a number of outstanding companies:
Incoterm
Corporation - Wellesley MA. Newmar Associates - Lynnfield MA. |
Raytheon Company
- Portsmouth RI., Dighton and Wayland MA. University of Michigan - B.S.E. Engineering Physics - 1968 - Major in Communications and Feedback Theory |