with a SolidWorks model of a group of
mechanical components to see if we can get
them to fi t together in a better way with the
electronics.”
This requirement comes about because
of the increasing demands from customers
wishing to optimise the integration of all
aspects of a design, says Lomas, “so he’s
got the ability to model the mechanics
and the electronics in parallel, and see
optimisations across the disciplines. The
number of times people have come to me
and said, ‘Here’s a beautifully designed
enclosure, now we just want you to put
your electronics into it’ – and vice versa”.
PETE LOMAS
Pete Lomas’ career started aged 13 when
he re-purposed a telephone relay rack into
a noughts & crosses ‘computer’ igniting a
lifelong passion for engineering and digital
making.
Today he is engineering director at
Norcott Technologies, a provider of electronic
design and CEM services. His role keeps him
close to the ‘coal face’ of engineering and
product design in areas as diverse as fi re
detection, X-ray imaging, nuclear physics and
the Internet of things.
Pete takes a holistic approach to design
and production to ensure that creative design
does not get swamped in manufacturing
technicalities and product viability is not
compromised by “specifi cation-creep”, cost
overruns and delayed market launch.
Pete has always had a passion for
education mixed with a concern about the
visibility of engineering when children are
choosing career paths. In 2008 a perfect
opportunity arose at a meeting in Cambridge
and the Raspberry Pi Foundation was
formed.
Pete took early responsibility for the
hardware design and manufacture of the
Raspberry Pi computer. Handing it over to an
internal design team in 2014 allowed him
more time to focus on his role as a trustee
and volunteer. Raspberry Pi has become a
global phenomenon with sales of +20 million
devices and a team of over 80 delivering its
mission: “To put the power of digital making
into the hands of people all over the world”
Photo Credit: Dean Smith
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