When Nathan Janiczek, Design Engineer for Clopay Corporation steps into his Mountain Top, Pa. office, he starts preparing for his day. Coffee in hand, he clears his emails and prioritizes tasks to ensure he’s organized and on track. 

“My mornings are mainly spent on design and development and monitoring the progress of ongoing testing,” he said. “In the afternoon, I shift my focus toward project management- updating timelines and coordinating with other departments.”

A dynamic mix of engineering and product management.

A typical day for Nathan is a blend of engineering and project management tasks, starting with analyzing prototypes, drafting specifications, and prepping for production ramp-up. 

“Along with these technical tasks, I manage project timelines and coordinate with multiple departments to ensure smooth product launches,” he said. “My work really is a dynamic mix of design engineering and project management.” 

Nathan's primary responsibility is designing and validating products to meet the rigorous specifications set by Clopay Corporation's marketing group, which ranges from the initial concept and analysis to running extensive product testing. 

Nathan and his team conducts in-house cycle testing to ensure the durability and operational reliability of commercial door products. This also includes performance testing for wind load, fire resistance, and thermal efficiency, a process that varies by product line. In addition to these tasks, he effectively leads cross-functional teams to coordinate product launches. 

Cutting edge tools and teamwork. 

State-of-the-art technology is woven into the fabric of their work. Nathan and his team rely on 3D modeling software for design, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for stress analysis, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for heat transfer analysis. Manufacturing equipment, including CNC laser cutters and 3D printers, help his team create prototypes for testing. 

Nathan stressed the significance of teamwork and collaboration in engineering, highlighting that diverse perspectives and experiences from engineers within his department contribute to finding the best solutions. 

“Often the best solution to an engineering problem is one with contributions from more than one engineer,” Nathan explained. “Our engineering technicians also play a vital role, offering solutions to efficiently create prototypes that can be tested, iterated on and tested again.” 

Guiding junior engineers.

In his role, Nathan also works alongside junior engineers. He guides them in their professional development and shows them more efficient, reliable ways to conduct analysis and testing. 

“Our products’ broad range of applications means there is a wide variety of topics, like wind load, fire resistance, and U-factor to name a few,” said Nathan. “Engineers need to learn about these topics when developing a new product. My experience allows me to show other engineers how to avoid pitfalls and failures.” 

For junior engineers, customizing commercial garage doors can be a formidable task. Rolling door products require versatility and reliability across diverse configurations, which can complicate the engineering process. Despite these challenges, they can find significant gratification through successful testing, particularly when it validates the design and analysis efforts put into the project. 

“Challenging themselves and continuously learning new engineering topics keep our junior engineers motivated and inspired, along with working closely with other departments, to gain a holistic understanding of the business,” Nathan said. 

Engineering rolling doors that stand out against the competition. 

Nathan underscores the intense engineering that goes into Cookson commercial doors, highlighting the brand's unwavering commitment to quality, which he feels distinguishes Clopay Corporation from competitors in the industry. 

“I’m always amazed by the amount of engineering work that goes into rolling doors. There are endless applications and requirements for doors beyond simply opening and closing,” Nathan said. “Our products are tailored to the customers’ needs. It’s not a mass-produced one-size-fits-all product. Every door is made-to-order, yet still meets the highest standard of performance.”