The Beginning of Everything
I will start this little bio from my early years, when I was still in school. If you would have asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up, I'd have said "I want to be an inventor". Funnily enough, often other kids laughed at that.Very early I showed interest for coding. So when I was 10 I joined a coding course learning how to program using Basic language in editors like Turbobasic and Quickbasic. This course lasted for 3 years and ended up creating a type ERP application for a small motorbike shop. This would keep billing records, IVA (equivalent to VAT), stock, etc.
After I became a teenager.... Nothing to highlight during that period, LOL
The Start of My Career, The Early Years
I left school when I was 17, at the time I didn't know what to do and had a simple and practical approach to what I was needing... Money!
So my dad took me to work with him as a store man in a sheetmetal forming factory called Manipulados Manresa SAL. I was doing highly manual labour. But it didn't take long until I climbed up to the point I was put as an apprentice for 3 years, learning how to strip, repair and maintain stamping dies, roller formers, etc. There I did a bit of turning, milling, grinding and welding. Ah!! I also learned about filing properly, this was a tough lesson!!
After my apprenticeship I went into the quality control department, where I learned metrology, the science of measurement. But also learned how to carry out material tests, coating tests, and other typical tests carried out in a mechanical quality control department. I was an inspector for 2 years. During these years, I also participated in stamping die and roller die designs, since I was the only person able to use AutoCAD R14. That was about 20 years ago!
During the last two years at Manipulados Manresa SAL I was studying my HND in Mechanical Engineering Production, which I completed with a considerably high mark and allowed me to move on into a technical office, as a designer.
From a Designer to a Qualified Engineer
Well, here, first I will clarify in countries like Spain the engineering profession is regulated by the state and there is legislation defining you cannot use the designation engineer unless you have completed an engineering university degree. This does not count any college degree. It is illegal exerting as an engineer if you don't comply to this. Similar to a neurologist or a lawyer or ...
Ok then, let's continue telling you about my career....
Here I was about 21 or 22 years old when I left Manipulados Manresa SAL to go to work in my first technical office in Inducast SL and Remolques Castillo. I was still in my last year of college and it was great to be able to start doing design work everyday, as my main task. Here I designed fabricated structures and trailers.
I stayed 3 years helping in the design of various trailers from scratch and the modification of others. I also produced mechanical designs for local architects and participated in the design of medical surgery scales. Most designs were hand drawn then, but I was also using AutoCAD R14.
Excited about the new professional horizons I had unveiled, considerably good college results and thirsty of knowledge I decided to go to University and get my engineering degree whilst working full time. At last, my dream of childhood was then at reach!
I finished my degree in 4 years and came to Scotland to finish the final project (thesis) and became a qualified engineer the summer of 2005.
During my university years I worked as a CAD/CAM programmer for Planxisteria Industrial M. Vidal SL and after, I worked in the technical office of a company called Enginy SL, designing polystyrene processing machinery and their components. Before I came to Scotland.
My Years in The Bonnie Scotland
The 13th of March 2005 I decided to leave my home country, Catalonia, and move to Scotland, where I still reside.
First I moved to Glasgow, and my main motivation were learning English and see the world. So, yes, it was meant to be a limited period move. Just a couple of years I thought, then go back to my home country. But there is when plans are made to be broken.
When I first came to Scotland my English was very poor and I could not jump straight away into working as an experienced designer as I was. So instead I found a job as a labourer for a packaging company called Benchmark Packaging Ltd. This allowed me to pay the bills and learn about this beautiful country that is Scotland. But this lasted for a few months, when I had learned enough English and after I had completed my honours degree with a first I decided to hunt for a job in a technical office. This is when I joined Plenty Mirrless Pumps Ltd, part of the SPX Group, as a design engineer.
I worked for 3 years in Plenty and managed to be promoted to senior design engineer. During these years I learned technical English and worked designing positive displacement pumps and pumping systems. My greatest achievement is the design of a high volume pump designated Twinro W750. This pump was finalist in the BPMA awards 2007. During this period I met my first wife, just when I was thinking to go back to my home country after I thought, my level of English was more than sufficient and I had seen enough world, she was the reason of me deciding to stay in Scotland for a 'tad' longer.
In 2008, I was headhunted by Petrowell Ltd, a small oil tool manufacturer based in Dyce, Aberdeen, where I worked for 4 years in the open hole department. There I was involved in the design of open hole cup seal packers, open hole anchors and other downhole tools. With Petrowell Ltd I filed two patents and helped designing very successful field proved tools, like the 6-1/8 CSI0 and the 8-1/2 CZI1 cup seal packers.
2008 was also the year I had my first two children, Robbie and Joel, twin boys. And during this period, in 2010, my youngest child came to this world, this is my daughter Iona. I think then is when I realised, I was going to stay in Scotland for a little bit longer.
Professionally, I was also awarded with my CEng MIMechE (UK chartered engineer) and Eur Ing (EU chartered engineer).
I went to work for Freudenberg Oil and Gas Ltd, where I provided sealing solutions consultancy and design for the Oil and Gas industry. Here I filed two more patents and designed new sealing solutions for subsea, wellheads, downhole tools, risers, etc.
My last job, before now, was with Weatherford Ltd in a Completions R&D facility. This was with the same Petrowell team working again in the Open Hole department. During this period of 4 years, I filed my 5th patent and developed innovative downhole equipment mostly focused in the lower completion section. However, my separation from my first wife took me to move down closer to my children and sadly I had to give up my job as a senior project engineer there.
During my time in Weatherford I decided to start working in a career refocus and started studying my second degree, a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics that hall empower my over 10 years of experience using FEA in a professional environment and help me working towards my doctorate.
In the present, I reside in Fife, with my beautiful wife Analy, and very recently have created my own company, PARADOX ENGINEERING CONSULTANCY LTD, to allow me working in contracts as an independent mechanical engineering consultant. I am very excited about the present and what the future will bring me.
Please, CONTACT ME if you believe I can help with any engineering challenge. I will be happy to help.
First I moved to Glasgow, and my main motivation were learning English and see the world. So, yes, it was meant to be a limited period move. Just a couple of years I thought, then go back to my home country. But there is when plans are made to be broken.
When I first came to Scotland my English was very poor and I could not jump straight away into working as an experienced designer as I was. So instead I found a job as a labourer for a packaging company called Benchmark Packaging Ltd. This allowed me to pay the bills and learn about this beautiful country that is Scotland. But this lasted for a few months, when I had learned enough English and after I had completed my honours degree with a first I decided to hunt for a job in a technical office. This is when I joined Plenty Mirrless Pumps Ltd, part of the SPX Group, as a design engineer.
I worked for 3 years in Plenty and managed to be promoted to senior design engineer. During these years I learned technical English and worked designing positive displacement pumps and pumping systems. My greatest achievement is the design of a high volume pump designated Twinro W750. This pump was finalist in the BPMA awards 2007. During this period I met my first wife, just when I was thinking to go back to my home country after I thought, my level of English was more than sufficient and I had seen enough world, she was the reason of me deciding to stay in Scotland for a 'tad' longer.
In 2008, I was headhunted by Petrowell Ltd, a small oil tool manufacturer based in Dyce, Aberdeen, where I worked for 4 years in the open hole department. There I was involved in the design of open hole cup seal packers, open hole anchors and other downhole tools. With Petrowell Ltd I filed two patents and helped designing very successful field proved tools, like the 6-1/8 CSI0 and the 8-1/2 CZI1 cup seal packers.
2008 was also the year I had my first two children, Robbie and Joel, twin boys. And during this period, in 2010, my youngest child came to this world, this is my daughter Iona. I think then is when I realised, I was going to stay in Scotland for a little bit longer.
Professionally, I was also awarded with my CEng MIMechE (UK chartered engineer) and Eur Ing (EU chartered engineer).
I went to work for Freudenberg Oil and Gas Ltd, where I provided sealing solutions consultancy and design for the Oil and Gas industry. Here I filed two more patents and designed new sealing solutions for subsea, wellheads, downhole tools, risers, etc.
My last job, before now, was with Weatherford Ltd in a Completions R&D facility. This was with the same Petrowell team working again in the Open Hole department. During this period of 4 years, I filed my 5th patent and developed innovative downhole equipment mostly focused in the lower completion section. However, my separation from my first wife took me to move down closer to my children and sadly I had to give up my job as a senior project engineer there.
During my time in Weatherford I decided to start working in a career refocus and started studying my second degree, a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics that hall empower my over 10 years of experience using FEA in a professional environment and help me working towards my doctorate.
In the present, I reside in Fife, with my beautiful wife Analy, and very recently have created my own company, PARADOX ENGINEERING CONSULTANCY LTD, to allow me working in contracts as an independent mechanical engineering consultant. I am very excited about the present and what the future will bring me.
Please, CONTACT ME if you believe I can help with any engineering challenge. I will be happy to help.
