Today, we’re talking to Shubham A. Bawankar, a Lead Engineer at the John Deere Technology Center in India. Shubham graduated from Ramdeobaba College of Engineering and Management, Nagpur, in 2016. During his college years, he utilized MATLAB and Simulink, which he continues to use in his professional career.
How did you use MATLAB/ Simulink for academic work?
I have been using MATLAB and Simulink for a long time, starting from my academic years. Throughout numerous study projects and examples, I have found both tools to be incredibly helpful.
Let’s start with MATLAB. For someone with limited programming and software experience, MATLAB is an easy-to-learn platform. It allows you to run individual commands in the command window, check variables in the workspace, create scripts and live scripts to automate repetitive tasks, develop simple GUIs, and analyze results using plots and graphs. In my opinion, these features make MATLAB an ideal platform for engineering work.
When it comes to Simulink, its greatest advantage is its user-friendly interface. Unlike traditional coding, Simulink does not require you to remember textual code or syntax. Instead, it uses a flow of logic blocks, building on the strengths of MATLAB.
I was part of a study project where we were studying a prediction algorithm for binomial experiments. We developed the script based on the existing study and added our use case using MATLAB. Everything was working fine but we wanted to assess it with a real situation in an intuitive manner. We got some suggestions from teachers and friends, but the best solution was available closest, i.e., MATLAB. We were able to prepare a small GUI, which could help to store and analyze results, and integrating it with our work was seamless. Below is a sample image of that.
Figure 1: GUI Developed with MATLAB to store and analyse results
Another example of a similar scenario, when I was working with a professor to develop a medical aid device similar to a stethoscope and we were looking for ways to amplify heartbeat sound files. We developed the filtering algorithm in MATLAB and needed some ad hoc tuning mechanism to adjust filters as per input sound. Below is a snap of the solution we added for this.
Figure 2: HeartBeat App developed with MATLAB
Do you think the skills you gained using these tools has helped you in your professional career? If so, how?
Yes, definitely! The skills you acquire while using MATLAB and related tools are crucial when transitioning from academic to professional life.
Consider skills like root cause analysis and debugging. For instance, if you are using MATLAB to run a script that serves as a GUI for reading and analyzing data, and you encounter errors, MATLAB provides the necessary tools and interface to address these issues. The editor allows you to add breakpoints, step through your code, and check commands between runs. This process is similar when using Simulink.
From these experiences, I have learned valuable skills such as how to approach a problem, break a larger task into smaller, manageable pieces, tackle each piece sequentially, identify root causes, search for appropriate solutions, and determine the best solution for a given situation.
In your current role at John Deere do you use MATLAB and Simulink?
I work for the Construction and Forestry department of John Deere India, an extended teams for our development centers in Europe and the US. As controls engineer team, we focus on the machine control aspects of our products. Our primary activities include system stability analysis, controller design and performance analysis, plant modeling, and simulation to enhance end user’s operator comfort and productivity.
While these tasks are diverse, we extensively utilize Model Based Design (MBD) capabilities of MATLAB and Simulink to achieve our engineering and innovative goals. My expertise in MATLAB and Simulink has enabled me to contribute meaningfully. I am proud to be the part of this organization which is making impact not just on technology and economics but also improving lives around the world.
What advice would you give young engineers seeking employment post-grad?
Focus on building your strengths and be authentic in your approach. For me, tools like MATLAB and Simulink have been invaluable. While it’s good to research prospective employers, don’t forcefully align everything to fit their expectations. Present your unique methods confidently with tools you’re comfortable using. Passion for your work is crucial, even for simple tasks, and avoid relying on trendy buzzwords you don’t fully understand. Deeply understand the basics, remain open-minded, and continuously experiment. This not only broadens your knowledge but also helps you learn other tools and work in various domains. MATLAB and Simulink are widely applicable, user-friendly, and well-supported, making them essential in both academic and professional settings. Keep experimenting to find what works best for you.
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