A scientific study of the problems of
digital engineering for space flight systems,
with a view to their practical solution.
2001 MAPLD
International Conference Panel
Wednesday Evening, September 12, 2001
Al Taylor Biography
Al Taylor has been with the U. S. Food and Drug Administration for about eight years. He is a Team Leader in the Medical Electronics Branch, Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
Prior to joining FDA, Mr. Taylor gained extensive experience in the design of mission-critical electronic systems, including avionics and space-borne systems, nuclear power plant control systems, and air traffic control telecommunications systems. This experience in developing high-integrity systems convinced Mr. Taylor of the necessity for having an effective quality management system in place for any design project. In the 1980s, as an engineering project leader, he began exploring structured design methodologies and pre-production quality assurance practices. He began applying these concepts, which are now referred to as "design controls," to his multidisciplinary engineering teams.
At FDA, Mr. Taylor serves as an in-house consultant in regulatory matters involving electronic design. He divides his attention between engineering analysis of specific medical device design issues and the broader topic of quality management as applied to design and development. He also oversees the development of custom instrumentation for FDA laboratory scientists. He is a principal author (along with Bill Midgette) of the oft-cited FDA publication, "Design Control Guidance for Medical Device Manufacturers," which can be found at: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/dsma/cgmphome.html
Mr. Taylor is an American Society of Quality (ASQ) Certified Quality Manager. He earned the BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1974.
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