Stephen Golemme

During covid, I had the opportunity to design a robot from scratch at Google X. In under 2 years, we went from a top level concept to working robots delivered in multiple countries. As the only electrical engineer on the project, I did everything from electronics concept, component selection, power budgeting, PCB design, firmware, system integration, setting up contract manufacturing and a test program. I've also designed robots for space, underwater, defense, aerospace, and industrial applications.

As an SMTA Certified Process Engineer and IPC Certified Interconnect Designer, I bring a deep knowledge of PCB design and manufacturing that can solve the trickiest problems. I identified critical manufacturing process issue with a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) stack and worked with our supply chain to change the process, resulting in yields increasing from 30% to over 90%. Further design and process changes increased yields to over 98%. I set up processes that remove frustrations OEMs have with suppliers and result in consistant, performing, products.

Get more out of your team by applying IPC-2231 DFX (Design for Excellence) Standards to your design process. I've applied DFX principles to several organizations, including several at Google (the Everyday Robot Project, Makani aerospace project), over the span of 10 years. As co-chair of IPC-2231, I have co-written the book on DFX, and can help your team go from concept to production faster and with fewer errors.

At Schilling Robotics, I supported the design and production of underwater robots and custom subsea connectors and cables that ran hydraulics, fiber, copper signals, and power. Working at a factory that produced 1000s of cables and connectors per year, and installed them on robots and systems designed to last 20 years gave me deep insights on what's necessary to design and produce a reliable interconnect. I've also transitioned prototypes to production including outsourcing to contract manufacturers, and vetting contract manufacturers.

After experiencing the pain of a 6 month production delay due to a single obsolete component, I researched and developed a cost-effective advanced lifecycle engineering process to minimize and address shortages and obsolescence. I've tailored and deployed this process at several organizations.

A prototype can make an impressive demo, but will it survive in the field for designed lifetime? Answering this question correctly will determine if your program succeeds or fails. I've developed and executed qualification, testing, and production quality programs for a variety of products, including underwater robots, space robots, and solar systems from low volume to several thousand units per week. Often, through a mapping process, we learn the environment is harder than we thought. People tend to live on coasts, dry air can cause shocks, air conditioning rapidly cools a vehicle that was in the sun, and electronics get shipped in containers exposed to all kinds of hazards. Before you mass produce, let's make sure your product design and manufacturing process is ready. I've defined audit criteria and led audit teams of factories in China and the US, including PCB, plastics, solar panels, LCDs, cables, keypads, batteries, and others.

Integrated systems can be robots, vehicles, or systems installed in buildings. I've designed, qualified, and set up production systems for multiple integrated systems, including systems at 2 solar companies, a wind energy project, oil and gas, and other energy sources. My battery research led to safer working conditions in underground coal mines. I've also designed and qualified battery systems for multiple environments. If you have a napkin sketch of a new energy system, I can help you get to a reliable product that's mass produced domestically or offshore.