AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
Design optimization (linear and nonlinear programming, gradient descent techniques, issues about locating global minima, genetic algorithms, simulated annealing)
Partial differential equations (numerical solutions, Fourier series, Laplace transforms)
Analytical dynamics (classical and Lagrangian approach, Hamiltonian, virtual work, holonomic and nonholonomic constraints, rigid body)
Chaos and fractals (applied to solving nonlinear equations)
Computational kinematics (robotic manipulators, linkages design, motion through prescribed points, inverse kinematics)
Additional courses taken for credit after Ph.D. at Steven Institute of Technology GPA 4.0: Neural Networks, Data Structures and Algorithms, Financial Computing (options, binomial model, stochastic calculus, finite difference, PDE)
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, September, 1997. THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT, GPA 3.96/4.0
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, August, 1992. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, GPA 3.62/4.0
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, February, 1990. UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA, GPA 9.19/10.0
EXPERIENCE
10/20/2003 to present. Senior Engineer, Schlumberger, Houston, TX
Started evaluation of Parasolid kernel since 7/2/22, wire and span body creation, profile and path for swept body with a twist creation, edge traversal.
Node.js web server development for access to a Creo session through Toolkit for remote modification of models.
Python and JavaScript development for upload of data to Azure. Post methods development for token, blob storage and triggering pipeline.
Automatic geometry creation with OpenCascade kernel embedded in Python (pythonOCC.org) of splines that define the shape of blades on drill bits. Complex spatial calculations with transform matrices and geometric algebra for optimal spline placement. Interactive adjustment of blade curves in PTC Creo via Pro/TOOLKIT (C++ programming) so that the blade geometry conforms in the best way to the bit cutting structure. For this reason, the SmithBits give appearance of blades being natural continuation of the bit cutting structure which distinguishes those bits significantly from the competition. This enables to model any conceivable blade geometry in PTC Creo while other solid modeling packages in use in industry still cannot overcome these constraints without API support making the blades in competition simple squarish features carrying cutters
Expertise in computational geometry and optimization. Head of Pro/TOOLKIT development in Smith Bits.
Research & development of Pro/TOOLKIT C++ design automation for design of drilling bits. Specifically, redesign and implementation of a complex cutter layout PDC GeoDiamond drill bit application.
Using Pro/TOOLKIT API Cutters are placed as UDFs and the bit design is automated through a few picks utilizing matrix transformations or quaternions definitions for cutter placement and orientation.
This C++/Python application touches on almost all aspects of Pro/TOOLKIT programming. The application was structured as a CORBA server with embedded C++ functions through Python which communicates directly with PTC’s Creo solid modeler.
Extraction of Geometry information from Creo models for rapid milling in EdgeCam. Development of PDC blade modeling and overall bit body assembly structure, from design to manufacturing with Pro/NC rapid cutter milling sequences.
Circle to Circle in 3D distance implementation with Lagrange multipliers and gradient minimization to obtain accurate distances between cutters.
Automatic geometry creation with OpenCascade kernel embedded in Python (pythonOCC.org) of splines that define the shape of blades on drill bits.
WebGL representation of drill bits with pythonOCC. Developed a bit API stress calculation PHP/MySQL web application that allows access to a MySQL database and retrieves/stores stress data.
SOFTWARE ENGINEER | CDS VISUAL, A DOVER CO. (PART TIME CONSULTANT) | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | MAY 2020 – PRESENT
C++ customization of Creo with Creo Toolkit and Creo Objective toolkit. Development of a dll to support automatic configuration of models and various other functionality such as:
rapid assembling parts and assemblies through coordinate systems menu-pick-free adding and setting parameters
renaming parts and sub-assemblies in mass through regular expressions
creating coordinate systems through feature creation in all degrees of freedom
setting colors and other properties of appearance
adding material
using Creo as a converter by importing and exporting models in various formats, cycling through thousands of directories and converting models in there
achieving all the above through loading text instruction files which contain instructions with API proprietary commands with arguments which allows interactive work for users. Instruction files can then be used by non-programmers in production environment to easily designate Creo's automation behavior menu-pick-free.
9/8/1998 to 7/31/2003. Senior Research Associate, Design & Manufacturing Institute (DMI), Stevens Institute of Tech., Hoboken, NJ.
Project Management
Managed several software and engineering projects related to Automated Concurrent Engineering Software (ACES) software platform developed at DMI; chose strategic directions for development efforts based on customer specifications, competition in the marketplace and the internal sales team; performed the product validation with existing and potential clients; tracked requested requirements gathered from sales teams and existing customers; worked with other supervisors to insure the integration success of overall product.
Contributed to the creation of a single, prioritized product release plan and management throughout the life cycle of a new product release within the specified guidelines; ensured that all aspects of the product release process happen (including documentation/communication) and deliverables are met to result in the successful release/delivery of the product.
Supervised/mentored several clusters of M.S./Ph.D. students and post-doctoral full-time employees in their day-to-day assignments; provided timely and constructive feedback to subordinates involved in application extensions; ensured that problems are addressed and resolved in internal weekly meetings and bi-monthly reviews with the customers.
Presented new ideas/demonstrations that enhance software internals and bring ACES to a new level of automation capabilities; wrote proposals for new features based on direct communication with customers and the sales team; wrote scientific papers on new algorithm development.
Software Development
Applied concepts from geometry to manufacturing problems in injection molding and machining. Developed a computational procedure for calculation of fill time (FT) and weld lines (WL) in Resin Transfer Molding without the use of FEM. The procedure allows for faster prediction of FT and WL than what is possible with using FEM.
Developed C/C++ programs for computational geometry and design optimization. Developed geometric (CORBA, omniORB) client/server reasoning engine for Pro/Engineer and Pro/Toolkit applications. The engine was used in ACES to improve design decisions and reduce the cost of products.
Built C/C++ dynamic modules (.dll & .so) for rapid prototyping with Python. The modules helped reduce the time of algorithm development and time-to-market.
Developed GUI: 1) wxPython; implemented a rapid-prototyping-interpreted-shell-scripting environment that interrogates models in Pro/Engineer and evaluates user scripts, 2) Visual Basic; implemented an UI that uses VBOrb to communicate with a Python-CORBA kernel to display dynamically evaluated expressions.
Developed C/C++ functions utilizing Pro/TOOLKIT libraries that access the solid models drawn with Pro/ENGINEER, both on NT and Unix. This includes various algorithms for feature traversal, assembly tree extraction, feature relationship based on distance, internal ids extraction, reasoning about cross-sections of solid part models, surface distances along polyhedral bodies with graph theory application. The functions were used extensively in ACES to evaluate the design decisions. As a result ACES contained functionality which significantly exceeded that provided by the standard Pro/ENGINEER interface.
Developed Pro/INTRALINK C/C++ functions for automatic check in/out from external applications. The functions eliminated the need for the Pro/INTRALINK client and allowed users the faster placement of parts into the central repository.
Mechanical Design
Redesigned various military metal containers for storage of mortar ammunition. Containers were to be made of composite materials for cost and weight reduction purpose while still satisfying rough handling and extreme outdoor conditions. Applied top down design using Pro/Engineer solid modeler. The final solid models contained skeletons with several complex subassemblies. To ensure containers’ integrity the analysis involved load and impact simulation studies as well as injection molding simulations with CMOLD. Produced final drawings for manufacturing.
2/6/1997 to 6/1/1998. Mechanical Designer, T. Sendzimir, Inc., Waterbury, CT. Designed various parts of rolling mills and their supporting units. Provided AutoCAD drawings and bills of materials. Performed design of roll transportation units and fixtures. Calculated stresses in critical components of rolling mills.
3/1/1993 to 8/1/1993. Mechanical Designer, One Lambda, Inc., Canoga Park, CA. Designed automatic machines for filling of tissue-typing-trays with blood samples for the purpose of DNA analysis. Designed an adhesive application device for sealing of the trays. Programmed an XY robot for positioning of the trays.
CONSULTING
9/1/2002 to 7/31/2003. Quant Programmer, AST Capital, futures hedge fund, Lawrenceville, NJ.·
Implemented a simulation of the past in-house trading activity in Python. The simulation helped to expose previous inefficiencies and improve trading decisions.
Developed sentiment indicators to predict price fluctuations.
Developed an Excel sheet that processed live data from a Bloomberg platform. The sheet included VBA functions which dynamically updated the included charts.
Performed statistical back-testing and regression analysis of various trading parameters.
Performed time series analysis and forecasting using ARIMA methodology.
Performed risk assessment of daily futures positions.
Developed Python/wxPython/C++ software tool for option calculation and Markowitz’s portfolio selection problem.
10/1996. A.B.K. International, in CT, provided the analysis of gear pairs, force and power requirements for a novel design of a handicap chair.
6/1995. Probat, Inc., in CT, provided a Matlab program for the response analysis of a machine for making of circuit boards.
TEACHING
Adjunct professor. Stevens Institute of Tech., Hoboken, NJ. Analytical Dynamics, Control, Vibration, Mechanisms, Design, Statics, Dynamics, Dynamics of Machinery and Kinematics of Machinery, CAD/CAM/CAE (all graduate level courses).
COMPUTER SKILLS
C/C++, CORBA, PYTHON, MAPLE, MATLAB, VB/VBA/EXCEL, UNIX, MAPLE, Pro/ENGINEER, Pro/TOOLKIT.
PUBLICATIONS
"Swinging a playground swing: Torque controls for inducing sustained oscillations”, The IEEE Control Systems Magazine, vol. 42, issue 2, April 2022
"Realization of Nonholonomic Constraints and Singular Perturbation Theory for Plane Dumbbells", Journal of Engineering Mathematics, first online: 03 February 2017, DOI: 10.1007/s10665-017-9896-8
"Dynamic Behavior of Moving Chains" International Journal of Engineering and Mathematical Modelling., 2016, vol. 3, no. 1, p. 1-16
"The Ritz Method for Boundary Problems with Essential Conditions as Constraints," Advances in Mathematical Physics, vol. 2016 "D'Alambert sums for vibrating bar with viscous ends", appeared online July, 2013, Engineering Mathematics, DOI 10.1007/s10665-013-9639-4
"A Fourier series solution for the longitudinal vibrations of a bar with viscous boundary conditions at each end", Journal of Engineering Mathematics, Vol. 79, Issue 1, 2012, DOI: 10.1007/s10665-012-9559-8
"Synchronization of Huygens' clocks and the Poincare method", Journal of Sound and Vibration, Volume 331, Issue 12, 4 June 2012, pp 2887-2900.
"Explicit solution for vibrating bar with viscous boundaries and internal damper" Journal of Engineering Mathematics, online first 2011, DOI: 10.1007/s10665-011-9513-1
"A Fourier series solution for the transverse vibration of a clamped beam with a torsional damper at the boundary", Journal of Vibration and Control March 2012 vol. 18 no. 3 344-356.
"A Fourier series solution for the transverse vibration response of a beam with a viscous boundary" Journal of Sound and Vibration, Volume 330, Issue 7, 28 March 2011, pp. 1504-1515.
"Modeling material property heterogeneity in fiber-reinforced injection molded plastic parts"Polymer Composites Volume 26, Issue 1, February 2005, pp 98-113.
"Identifying, Utilizing and Improving Chaotic Numerical Instabilities in Computational Kinematics," 1997, Ph.D. Thesis, The University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT.
"Parameter estimation for resin transfer molding," Engineering Computations: International Journal for Computer-Aided Engineering and Software, Vol 18, No. 8, pp. 1091-1107, 2001.
"Chaotic descent method and fractal conjecture," International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, Vol 48, pp. 137 - 152, 2000.
"Optimal Design Using Chaotic Descent Method," ASME Journal of Mech. Design, Vol. 122., No. 3, pp. 265-270, 2000.
"On the metrics and co-ordinate-system-induced sensitivity in computational kinematics," International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 729-747, 1998.
"Using Chaos to Obtain Global Solutions in Computational Kinematics," ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, Vol. 120, No. 2, pp. 299-304., 1998.
"Chaos in Computational Kinematics," Proceedings of 4th National Applied Mechanisms and Robotics Conference, Ohio, Cincinnati, December 1995.
"Comparative study of delayed resonator with other vibration absorption techniques," 1994 ASME conference in Chicago, IL, Dynamic Systems and Control, Vol 2, pp. 1117-1124.
REFERENCES
Kazem Kazerounian, Ph.D. Advisor, Professor, ME Dept. The University of Connecticut (860) 486-2102 kazem@engr.uconn.edu
Kishore Pochiraju, Director of Design & Manufacturing Institute Stevens Institute of Technology (201) 216-8053 kpochira@stevens-tech.edu
Geoffrey Shiflett, Associate Professor, ME Dept. University of Southern California (213) 740-0479 shiflett@usc.edu