DCA Design International — Design Engineering Showcase 2022

Student: Chris Kalogroulis
Team: Electronics
Role: Trainee Electronics Engineer
Sector: Consulting
Links: Phone; Portfolio

DCA is a world-leading design consultancy, well known and respected within product design. DCA has designed many recognisable products, most famously the Stanley knife. DCA designs within four sectors: consumer, commercial & industrial, medical & scientific, transport.

My formal job title was Trainee Electronics Engineer. I worked closely with the electronics team to develop, test and advise the electronics going into products. The electronics team work closely with other disciplines to create a fully considered and well-engineered deliverable.

Role and Contributions

My day would commonly consist of schematic design, component research, PCB design/layout, PCB testing, physical electronics prototyping, interdepartmental communication and low-level software development.

Whilst at DCA I was mainly involved in two client projects and one internal. During my first client project, I was testing a PCB for a medical product. I had to apply my theoretical electronics knowledge to effectively undertake tests. During this process, I learnt how to use a great deal of electronics test equipment which proved very useful for other projects.

For the second client project, I was heavily involved in creating the electronics for a prototype of a consumer product. Here I learnt lots about client communication as I was involved in creating many presentations and I got to use a great deal of my electronics and software practical skills.

For the internal project I was given charge over the electronic design of a blood pressure monitor. I had to work with multiple departments finally resulting in a working looks-like and works-like prototype. This project culminated many of my skills from electronics to software to mechanical engineering. This project taught me the whole electronics design process.

Project Details

Role and Contributions