![]() |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]()
|
![]() |
Predmore AssociatesStellar Solutions to Your Technical Problems Read Predmore, Ph.D.413-549-8554 Amherst, Massachusetts predmore@PredmoreAssociates.com
|
![]() |
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service AreasDr. Read Predmore of Predmore Associates is available as an independent consultant or temporary member of a design or project team for universities, manufacturers and design firms. He has more than 30 years of experience in the development and implementation of low-noise millimeter wave receiver and radiometer systems. He is uniquely qualified to manage the design, fabrication and implementation of millimeter systems for communication, remote sensing and radio astronomy applications. Results of Dr. Predmore’s work include: recommendations, specifications, engineering drawings, reports and custom software. He works primarily in the East Coast of the United States and is available for short-term projects that include travel anywhere in the United States including Hawaii, Western Europe and Japan. Predmore Associates provides services in the following areas: Millimeter-wave Antenna and OpticsAntenna OpticsDesign, evaluate and measure the optics for microwave and millimeter-wave parabolic antennas. These include primary focus systems and antennas with either Cassegrain or Gregorian secondary reflectors. Perform field-of-view (FOV) calculations in the focal plane. Specify the required surface accuracy and optical alignment tolerance to meet the system performance versus frequency. Quasioptical DesignExperienced in the design of multiple-element quasioptical systems including focusing mirrors, image sideband rejection, beam splitting, polarization selection components and feed horns. Case Study: Redesign of millimeter-opticsDr. Alan Parrish of the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory (FCRAO) at the University of Massachusetts and Dr. Philip Solomon of the SUNY Stony Brook Stratospheric Research Program required redesign of the millimeter-wave optics for their chlorine monoxide (Cl-O) spectrometer. Chlorine monoxide can destroy the protective ozone layer in earth’s upper atmosphere and is being monitored by spectrometers in Hawaii and Antarctica. The spectrometer, which operates at 278 GHz, is being used to monitor the upper stratosphere for chlorine monoxide. It is being redesigned to incorporate newer receiver electronics. Some of the elements involved in the redesign are:
The outcomes of this work include:
Millimeter-wave SystemsMillimeter-wave ReceiversDesign and implement millimeter-wave receivers for communications, remote sensing, and radio astronomy applications. Experienced in the design of heterodyne receiver electronics, both at ambient temperature and cryogenically cooled. Have designed IF processing modules and signal processing systems such as digital correlators and acousto-optical spectrometers (AOS). Millimeter-wave RadiometersEvaluate, design and fabricate radiometers for remote sensing and radio astronomy applications. Uses include atmospheric and earth remote sensing from the ground, air and space. Radio astronomy applications include continuum and polarization radiometers .
Cryogenic ElectronicsDesign and implement cryogenically cooled microwave and millimeter-wave receivers, including:
Precision MetrologyAs Chief Metrologist for the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT), Dr. Predmore was responsible for the overall optical alignment error budget, which included the primary surface panels, secondary reflector, and alignment criteria for the optical elements when subjected to deformation due to gravity, temperature and wind. Dr. Predmore evaluated and recommended various laser metrology systems including the laser ranging system developed for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s Green Bank Telescope (GBT), commercial laser trackers, and the LM5 laser measurement system from Automated Precision, Inc. (API). In addition, Dr. Predmore was responsible for the metrology of the LMT surface panels. Case Study: Metrology of LMT Surface PanelsThere are 180 panels required for the LMT 50 meter (165 ft.) diameter parabolic surface. Each panel is about 3 by 5 meters (10 by 16 ft.) and needs to be manufactured with a root-mean-square (rms) surface error of around 15 microns (0.0006 inches). The LMT Project was responsible for providing the panel metrology system. Some of the elements in specifying and selecting this equipment were:
The outcomes of this work were:
Project ManagementPredmore Associates provides project management of technical projects from inception through prototyping to production. Benefits of Dr. Predmore’s project management experience include:
Project Management StagesDevelopment of System RequirementsProject management begins with system requirements such as bandwidth of a communication system, Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (S/N or SNR), frequency band and market (for one of a kind or consumer products). Define System and Component Interfaces and Block DiagramsDevelop Project PlanProject planning includes capital and personnel resources budgets as well as space and equipment requirements. The project plan will include an estimated timeline and total cost for the project. These estimates will be refined as the project develops and the final system is clarified. Project MeetingsEffective project management requires regular team meetings (weekly or more often when appropriate) to communicate progress, reveal problem areas and achieve weekly and long-term goals to accomplish final objectives. Project Management ToolsTo foster communication within the project team as well as with management and production personnel, we work with project management tools. Depending on project requirements, we will use Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), PERT and Gantt charts as well as Microsoft Project.
Technical SoftwareDr. Predmore has both his undergraduate and Ph. D. degrees in Physics as well as 40 years experience in applied mathematics and technical programming. In addition to 18 years of programming in C, he has three years experience in applying MATLAB to technical problems. Very experienced in regression and optimization techniques for both linear and non-linear systems, Dr. Predmore is also skilled at multiple linear regression analysis for fitting or modeling of experimental data. In addition to knowledge of curve and surface fitting, he is experienced with Fourier analysis, which can be applied to numerous areas such as vibration of structures, digital signal processing and spatial frequency analysis of surface errors. Dr. Predmore’s imagination, practical experience and technical expertise allow him to apply mathematical techniques across disciplines. For example, he has applied mathematical modeling techniques from computer graphics to the background characterization problem for a millimeter-wave imaging system. Due to his mathematical curiosity, Dr. Predmore is constantly learning new mathematical techniques.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Home | About | Services | Publications
Copyright © 2005 Read Predmore |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |