Hi, I'm David Liu

Skills and Experience

My strong foundation in computer science, including expertise in programming languages such as Java, C, HTML/CSS/JavaScript, and experience with Python, C++, and assembly, equips me to contribute effectively to software development efforts. I can quickly adapt to new technologies and programming languages, ensuring that I can contribute to a wide array of projects.

Tesla Experience

During my internship at Tesla, I worked on two significant projects within the Manufacturing Controls and SCADA teams. My contributions focused on optimizing data validation processes, designing and developing SCADA systems, and improving the efficiency and scalability of Tesla's production lines.

Initially, I was assigned to design SCADA interfaces in Figma. However, after proving myself reliable, I was entrusted with the full development of the SCADA application. The legacy SCADA system I worked on was outdated, running on a Java-based Ignition platform that not only had performance issues—such as 3-minute boot times and 10-second click delays—but also relied on an old data collection format that frequently produced incorrect data. My team had recently developed a new data collection standard, which required an efficient and scalable system to display the correct data on SCADA interfaces. I redesigned the entire application from scratch, transforming it into a web-based system using HTML, CSS, and Ignition. The new system reduced boot time to seconds and improved click response to near-instantaneous, while reducing the tag count from 20,000 to 600 and the component count from 37,000+ to just 200.


A key aspect of my development process was ensuring that the user experience was intuitive and user-friendly, especially for factory operators. I paid close attention to creating components that were easy to navigate and interact with. This focus on usability extended to designing components that could be reused across multiple shops, each with different production requirements. By standardizing these components, I enabled developers to easily scale the application across various production lines, making it adaptable to different needs without sacrificing functionality or performance. The web-based SCADA system ultimately supported over 70 concurrent users, giving them real-time visibility into machine status and factory production.

Another significant contribution was the creation of a web application that led to the establishment of Constraint Analysis Report meetings. I developed custom-built components for special graphs, which were essential for these meetings. The app generated detailed reports on production bottlenecks and constraints, allowing teams to visualize issues and prioritize which problems to address first. These meetings, centered around the insights provided by the app's custom graphs, became crucial in optimizing Tesla's manufacturing processes, directly contributing to record-breaking production numbers for the Model 3.

In parallel, I also worked on a Data Validation web application using Flask, Plotly, and Python. This application was designed to detect and resolve discrepancies on the production line. With features like dashboards and alerts, it helped engineering technicians eliminate 100% of the detected discrepancy types. Additionally, I led the development of CI/CD pipelines, OAuth integration, and deployment strategies on Kubernetes clusters, ensuring the application was efficiently deployed and maintained within Tesla's infrastructure.

Through these projects, I gained extensive experience in full-stack development, user-centered design, custom component creation, and large-scale system deployment, making a lasting impact on Tesla's manufacturing operations.

University Projects and Research

The Music Marketplace Web App project showcases my web development skills, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python. I learned how to use RESTful API and build a web application using the Flask framework. The web application allowed teachers and students to make accounts and teach/learn music lessons. My passion is to create user-friendly web interfaces, ensuring a seamless experience for its users.

Hackathons Teaming up with my freshman brother, I participated in HackTX 2023 hosted by Freetail Hackers this Fall. We developed and deployed a working Pet Budget Simulator in a 24 hour timespan. This app allows a user to track and compare item prices to our dataset. Below is a link to the website we developed.

Experience in Robotics My research work at UT Austin Robotics Research and experience as a PID Control Program Assistant demonstrate my dedication to robotics and control systems. A focus on innovative education techniques could benefit from my insights into autonomous manipulation and control. Below is a project I worked on in programming an autonomous driving car.
Currently I am working on a research project with professor Aloysius Mok in integrating rt-linux into ROS (Robot Operating System) to provide accurate timestamps. ROS is a flexible and powerful framework for robotics applications, but it is not inherently designed for hard real-time requirements. By integrating RTLinux into a ROS setup, I am able to achieve more precise timestamping and real-time behavior for robotic applications.

Passion for Education and Innovation My passion teaching combined with my experience working with Lavner Ed. and as a teaching assistant at the University of Texas at Austin perfectly aligns with my mission to make education accessible and effective.

My Computer Science Journey

I chose computer science because I've always been fascinated by the way technology can solve complex problems and improve people's lives. In high school I experimented with recreating popular board games using Java, which ignited my interest in programming. In college I am interested by the idea of contributing to advancements in robotics, game design, and developing web applications, which are all areas where computer science plays a crucial role.

Clubs

I am also a co-lead for an on campus A Cappella choir. As a co-lead of Re:Sound A Cappella, my responsibilities extended beyond music and performance. My involvement in Re:Sound allowed me to develop strong leadership and organizational skills, enhance my ability to work effectively in a team, and appreciate the power of music as a means of bringing people together.
In addition to my musical involvement, I have also been a part of the marketing and design team for the club Koinonia. I use WYSIWYG applications to create visual assets while studying under the guidance of a UX designer.

Thanks for taking the time to get to know me better!