Gordon Lewis Muster II

Summary Mr. Muster's interests and twenty-two years of work experience include a broad spectrum of activities at the technical level">

Gordon Lewis Muster II

Summary Mr. Muster's interests and twenty-two years of work experience include a broad spectrum of activities at the technical level, in project management, and marketing of software and consulting services in the engineering and business community. The practical experience gained from participating in various number of hardware and software product development activities and various experimental and analytical investigations has served to focus Mr. Muster's interests and expertise into certain areas, specifically

 Education

B.S.M.E., University of Houston, 1979
M.S.M.E., University of Houston, 1990

Employment History and Experience Highlights

Nov 96 - present   El Paso Energy, Operations and Engineering Systems, 
Principle Information Anayist                                

 ( this period is under construction )

Aug, 94 - Nov 96  Professional Application Resources Inc.
( contracted out to Tenneco Gas, Information Services)

Mr. Muster  moved back to Houston in August of 1994 to pursue various software development activities on a consultant basis  working at Tenneco Gas, Information Services . At TGIS Mr. Muster provides production support for the Field Office Computer System. The FOC System is a small condition monitoring system used by the TG Compressor and Automation Department to collect data on engine performance at the compressor stations which are not automated. The FOC System consists of hand held computers used to collect data over preprogrammed routes and a IBM PC system which is used to provide local reporting capability and data transfer to the mainframe based Compressor Facilities Management System. At present 23 compressor stations use this condition monitoring system. Before Mr. Muster joined TGIS, the FOC System had many problems which prevented the efficient collection of engine performance data. Shortly after joining TGIS, Mr. Muster made enhancements and corrections to the FOCS software which have greatly reduced production support calls. Recently Mr. Muster converted the FOCS software to use the FTP protocol to send files to Houston via the new WAN/LAN being along the pipeline. In addition, while at Tenneco Mr. Muster has developed a litigation document abstraction system denoted LEGALDOC for the legal department. This database system is used by the legal department to provide on-line query and report generation for information abstracted from documents related to litigation cases. This system has a UNIX Sybase 10 SQL back-end and a Powerbuilder 4.0 Windows 3.1 front-end. This system is currently in unit test.

 July, 93 - Aug, 94 Professional Application Resources Inc. ( contracted out to Business Records Corporation)

 Mr. Muster originally joined PAR Inc. to pursue various software development activities on a consultant basis utilizing Microsoft software development tools and languages. Mr. Muster's first assignment was working at Business Records Corporation located in Dallas. BRC provides document imaging services to city and county government agencies located throughout the USA. Typically the BRC Foresight 2000 Imaging System consists of a UNIX based host with optical disk "jukebox" and DOS and now Windows based workstations. While at BRC Mr. Muster has completed the following software development tasks:

 While at BRC Mr. Muster gained considerable experience with the DOS and Windows TCP/IP Socket Library ( FTP Version 2.11 ) and TCP/IP networking in general. Microsoft Visual C++ 1.5 was used for this developement effort. The BRC system utilized the UDP protocol for image transfer and workstation control. This system provided peer-to-peer scan, display, storage, and print services for all Windows 3.1 workstations in concert with arbitration and storage services located on the UNIX server as well as an Informix SQL database. Mr. Muster also gained experience with the DOS and Windows KOFAX imaging SDK, Novell Btrieve API and imaging technology in general. Mr. Muster used the Micosoft Setup Toolkit to provide BRC with workstation installation disks suitable for use by inexperenced personnel. In addition, while at BRC Mr. Muster gained experience with the UNIX operating system.

Boyce Engineering International, Inc.

1991 - 1993 Manager of Microcomputer Systems
1991 - 1993 Project Manager
1987 - 1991 Senior Development Engineer

 As Project Manager for the Statoil Thermodynamic Condition Monitoring System for the Sleipner A Platform, Mr. Muster developed, installed and commissioned a condition monitoring system (Micro-DATM4) for multiple offshore platforms located in the North Sea. The Sleipner A platform has 16 machine trains. This includes 7 GE. LM-2500 gas turbines used in power generation, recompression, re-injection, and pumping. This same system has been installed on the Shell Draugen platform and the Conoco/Statoil Heidrein tension leg platform all located in the North Sea. As part of the development effort Mr. Muster duplicated the basic analysis and graphical display capabilites of the Micro-DATM4 system using MS Excel and used the resulting Excel appllication to independently check all aerothermal and engine performance calculations. In addition various utilities and tools where developed ( via the Excel SDK ) to exchange data between the SQL-SERVER database and Excel worksheets. As Manager of Microcomputer Systems at Boyce Engineering International (BEI) Mr. Muster directed a team of engineers and engineering support personnel in the development of various software products based on Intel 80x86 based computers which utilized Microsoft (MS) operating system software, MS software language tools, and MS Software Development Kits (SDK's) as well as used MS applications to manage projects and write software documentation. This includes the MS OS/2 multi-tasking operating system (Version 1.0 to 1.3), MS SQL-Server ( Version 1.0 and 4.2 ), MS LAN Manager (Version 1.0 to 2.2), MS Remote Access for LAN Manager 2.1, MS Windows (2.0 to 3.1), MS Excel (Version 3.0 & 4.0), MS Word for DOS (Version 5.0), Word for Windows (Versions 1.0 & 2.0), MS Publisher and MS DOS ( Versions 3.2. to 6.0). While at BEI Mr. Muster gained solid experience with the following Microsoft software languages, tools and SDK's: MS FORTRAN (version's 4.0 & 5.0), MS Assembly ( version 5.1 ), MS QABASIC, MS C ( versions 3.0 to 6.0 ), MS C/C++ ( version 7.0), OS/2 SDK ( Versions 1.0 to 2.1 ), Windows SDK ( Versions 2.0 & 3.1 ), MS LAN Manager NDK (Versions 2.0 and 2.1), SQL-Server DBLIB library for C programmers, and the Excel Software Development Kit ( Version 4.0 ). Mr. Muster also had the oppurtinunity to gain limited experience with the MS DDK. Mr. Muster also gained solid experience with the following third party software packages while at BEI: SQL-Commander for Windows, Q & E for Windows, CASE:PM, CASE:W, and System Architect One of Mr. Muster's main responsibilities was to train new staff and retrain existing staff in the use of Microsoft and related products ( ranging from V.P.'s and engineers to office support staff) during a critical growth period for BEI. In addition Mr. Muster developed and enforced (in concert with outside consultants and the in-house Quality Control Manager) software developement procedures in preparation for ISO-9000 certification. Products developed at BEI include the Turbomachinery Vibration Analyzer (TVA), an sixteen channel order-tracking spectrum analyzer ( the first version was written in FORTRAN and used DOS, an intermediate version used Windows 2.0, whereas the final version utilized C and OS/2 Version 1.3), and the client/server based Micro-DATM4 Condition Monitoring System (written in C and utilizing OS/2 Version 1.3, LAN Manager 2.1, Remote Access, and SQL-Server 4.2). This client/server based software package incorporates 8 network services and over 20 front-end applications and typically costs from $250,000 to $1,500,000 to purchase ( including SQL database initialization). This system monitors the vibration and aerothermal performance condition of critical rotating equipment such as gas and steam turbines, pumps, compressors, turbo-expanders, electric motors, and fans. Mr. Muster was also responsible for the initial software development of the BTC-2000 Gas Turbine Control System which incorporates a client/server based GUI interface to a GE Faunc PLC controller which provided the real-time control functions. The TVA monitors the vibration condition of gas turbines, pumps, and fans at various sites in the US., Canada, South America, Europe, China and India. In addition the TVA is being used by EPRI to monitor a GE. Frame 7A gas turbine, the US. Army in a test cell environment to investigate vibration problems in the AGT-1500 gas turbine engine used in the M-1 Main Battle Tank and by the US. Navy on a missile frigate for on-line vibration condition monitoring of the GE. LM-2500 gas turbine as part of HP-1000 minicomputer based DATM4 Systems installed by BEI. 1986 - 1987 D. M. & A.Consulting Engineers, Inc. Associate Engineer Mr. Muster developed a portable PC-based data acquisition system using a Data Translation DT2608 16 channel 12 bit A/D interface ( written in MS C and assembly ) and used same in the collection and analysis of strain gage data. Mr. Muster developed a drill string analysis and crack-growth prediction computer code for use by the Texas A&M Sea Grant Program ( written in FORTRAN). Given initial crack dimensions, sea state spectrum, and ship RAO's, this code would predict the time to failure for the drill string considering only axial motions and loads. Mr. Muster developed both DEC MicroVax and PC versions of this program. 1986 - 1987 University of Houston, Department of Civil Engineering Structural Engineering Laboratory: Engineering Consultant Detailed design and stress analysis of the Shell Element Test Facility used to investigate the strength of reinforced concrete panels. This facility is the largest of its kind in the U.S. Each panel is five feet by five feet and may vary in thickness from four to fifteen inches. Loads are applied to the panels via forty 250,000 pound jacks and twenty 125,000 pound jacks. Developed load, displacement, and strain condition monitoring software system using instrumentation that included a DEC MicroVax computer and a HP 3852 high speed data acquisition system with 80 channel capacity.

1985 - 1986 N.L. Industries, MWD/Technology Systems R&D Advanced Projects Group: Research Engineer

 Responsible for the detailed mechanical design and qualification testing of a state-of-the-art MWD downhole tool used to measure weight on bit, bending, torsion, pressure, temperature, magnetic orientation, and the 3-D acceleration of the drill string at the drill bit. Mr. Muster performed vibration tests of electronic packaging systems for this downhole tool, rotating beam fatigue tests of various stainless steels for use in this downhole application, and developed and performed test procedures for seal qualification. Mr. Muster developed strain application techniques suitable for production, and load calibration techniques for hostile conditions of temperature (150 C) and pressure (20,000 psi). 1981 - 1985 Battelle Petroleum Technology Center Structures and Mechanics Section: Research Scientist Responsible for all aspects of experimental stress analysis projects, including strain gage installations for hostile environments, data collection system development, analysis techniques, load cell design and calibration techniques. Dynamic and static testing of full-scale and small-scale structures that included tool joints, tubing connectors, casing connectors, offshore pipeline mechanical connectors, pipeline load-limit connectors, pipeline swivel and ball joints, and anchor chains. Designed and performed fatigue tests of pipeline connectors under bending loads, composite sucker rod material under axial loads and elevated temperatures, rotating beam tests of steels, and creep testing of various epoxies and pipeline anti-corrosion coatings at elevated temperatures. Mr. Muster designed specialized load application and measurement devices including a unique loading fixture used to investigate the collapse pressures of heavy wall pipe under bending, external pressure and axial loads. Mr. Muster designed load frame and microcomputer-based instrumentation and control system for gas leak tightness testing of tubular connections during cyclic internal gas pressure, temperature, axial, and bending loads. Mr. Muster is familiar with the mechanics of mechanical and threaded tubing and casing connectors and has made strain gage measurements during make-up tests of both mechanical pipeline and threaded-casing connectors. Conduct of an operators well completion survey for a major group industry sponsor and a detailed review and statistical analysis of the mineral Management Service's records on fires and blowouts offshore. Analytical (software developement) and experimental studies in the area of soil-structure interaction including buried pipeline stability for onshore, offshore, Arctic conditions, acoustic properties of sediments, dynamic response of soils, and consolidation of soils undersea static and dynamic loading conditions.

 1979 - 1982 University of Houston, Department of Civil Engineering Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory: Research Engineer

Major participant in a state-of-the-art analytical and experimental studies in the area of the static and dynamic response of single piles and pile groups. Developed a FORTRAN computer program that is a highly adaptable DSP (digital signal-processing) language interpreter tailored to the analysis of experimental data during dynamic soil-structure interaction studies. Mr. Muster also designed and constructed instrumentation system for same. Instrumentation systems used included a Texas Instruments DFS-III 64-channel seismic-recording truck, 121 channel strain gage signal conditioning system and MicroVax 32-bit computer.

 1972 - 1979 University of Houston, Department of Civil Engineering Ocean Systems Modeling Facility: Electronic Technician

 This facility was used by engineering firms and oil companies for the testing models of offshore structures, pipe-laying barges, semi-submersibles, platforms, power barges, oil skimmers, and jack-up rigs. Academic research conducted at this facility include sea-keeping tests of semi-submersible drilling platforms, wave-sea bottom interaction studies, wave impact on offshore structures, and wave-breakwater interaction. Mr. Muster designed an electro-hydraulic servo-control system for the generation of both random and harmonic water waves for the 10 X 5 X 120 foot wave tank. In addition, designed and constructed a 32-channel, data acquisition and control system based on an 8080 microcomputer. This system was written in the Microsoft FORTRAN and assembly languages. Mr. Muster become familiar with the mechanics of harmonic and random water waves and developed computer programs for the analysis of experimental data collected during sea-keeping tests of floating structures excited by random and harmonic water waves.

 1971 - 1972 Erath Sound Company Electronic Technician

 Mr. Muster was responsible for the construction and testing of custom multi-channel recording studio sound systems.

 Affiliations

Member: ISO TC 108/WG17 ; Standards for the Vibration Condition Monitoring and Diagnostics of Machines.

Lectures and Publications