I bring over a decade of hands-on manufacturing and product development experience, followed by more than 15 years specializing exclusively in SR&ED. My background is rooted in real production engineering, where I was accountable for the development, launch, and performance of complex manufacturing systems in high-volume industrial environments.
Working in hybrid technical and leadership roles, I led process design decisions, production readiness, implementation, and workforce training. I was often brought in to stabilize challenging processes and resolve performance issues where equipment limits, design constraints, and real-world variability required iterative troubleshooting, testing, and refinement. My experience includes developing manufacturing processes from concept through full production, proving them out in one facility and transferring them to others, including cross-border program implementation and training. I was also named as a co-inventor on a U.S. patent related to heat exchanger design and manufacturability.
I later transitioned into SR&ED consulting, where I have spent the past 15+ years helping companies across Canada identify and document experimental development embedded within real engineering work. Clients value my ability to recognize hidden iteration, undocumented testing, and technical problem-solving that others often overlook, and to translate complex engineering efforts into clear, defensible SR&ED documentation while managing the process with minimal disruption to their teams.
I began my SR&ED career with a national accounting firm before founding DANIK Consulting Inc. in 2016. Since then, I have focused exclusively on supporting SR&ED claims rooted in practical, production-driven engineering. I am a graduate with honours from a Mechanical Engineering Technology program and have built my career working alongside engineers, trades, and technical teams in complex, real-world engineering environments.
The engineering domains below represent environments where performance limits, material behavior, system interactions, and operational constraints often require experimental investigation beyond standard engineering practice. These are the types of real-world settings where conventional solutions stop working, uncertainty emerges, and structured engineering development becomes necessary.
Advanced Manufacturing & Material Process Behavior
Experimental development involving how materials are formed, machined, joined, coated, or otherwise transformed when real-world behavior does not match established methods or theoretical expectations. These projects often involve instability, unpredictable material response, tooling limitations, or process performance that cannot be resolved using standard manufacturing practices.
Examples of supported SR&ED work include:
• Aluminum extrusion and complex profile forming
• Hydroforming, tube bending, and advanced metal forming processes
• Heavy stamping process stabilization and die development
• Machining exotic or difficult-to-machine materials
• Composite product manufacturing and process development
• Specialty coatings, surface treatments, and glass processing
• Industrial painting processes requiring non-standard performance outcomes
• Textile printing technologies requiring process refinement under production conditions
• Fixture and tooling development for high-precision machining centers
• Large-scale concrete forming systems and mold development for structural applications
Automation, Motion & Integrated System Performance
Experimental development involving the integration of mechanical systems, controls, sensors, and software where real-world operating variability causes performance, reliability, or accuracy challenges that cannot be resolved using standard automation practices. These projects often involve synchronization issues, motion instability, positioning limits, or system interactions that require iterative testing and refinement under production conditions.
Examples of supported SR&ED work include:
• High-speed automated assembly and packaging systems
• Robotic welding and laser cutting cell performance optimization
• Complex automated material handling and part-feeding systems
• Autonomous mobile robots supplying production lines
• Precision motion control for high-speed or high-accuracy applications
• Integration of sensors and controls for process stabilization
• Automated dispensing, filling, and batching systems under variable conditions
• Maglev and advanced motion transport concepts under performance constraints
Product Design Under Performance Uncertainty
Experimental development involving new or modified products where mechanical, structural, environmental, or functional performance cannot be reliably predicted using standard engineering assumptions. These projects typically require iterative design, prototyping, testing, and refinement to achieve required durability, safety, usability, or operational outcomes.
Examples of supported SR&ED work include:
• Safety footwear performance and impact absorption development
• Adaptive and cognitive learning device engineering
• Dental and health monitoring device development
• Structural redesign of furniture systems for weight, durability, and manufacturability
• Amphibious and specialty vehicle performance development
• Custom service vehicle and equipment modifications
• Smart wearable and communication device product development
Harsh Environment & Industrial Equipment Engineering
Experimental development involving tools, components, and systems required to operate reliably under extreme or unpredictable industrial conditions. These projects typically involve high loads, abrasive wear, corrosion, contamination, temperature extremes, or environmental exposure where standard design methods cannot accurately predict performance or durability.
Examples of supported SR&ED work include:
• Oil and gas drilling tools and specialized downhole equipment
• Quick-deployment and modular drilling apparatus
• Mining tools, material handling equipment, and wear-intensive components
• Graphite mining and material recovery system development
• Heavy equipment components subject to severe load and impact conditions
• Pile driving and ground-engagement system performance optimization
• Centrifuge equipment operating under high-speed and high-stress conditions
• Non-corrosive linings and protective systems for industrial piping and equipment
Energy, Thermal & Fluid System Performance
Experimental development involving systems where heat transfer, fluid behavior, extraction, or energy conversion performance cannot be reliably predicted under real operating conditions. These projects often involve instability, efficiency limits, material compatibility issues, or process variability that require iterative testing and system-level refinement beyond standard engineering practice.
Examples of supported SR&ED work include:
• Biofuel production and fuel-processing system development
• Biomass energy conversion and handling systems
• Solar energy technologies and performance optimization
• Thermal management challenges in industrial and energy systems
• Plant-based oil extraction and material processing systems involving complex flow behavior
• Heat transfer performance improvements in industrial equipment
• Environmental remediation systems involving fluid and material treatment processes
Safety-Critical & Protective System Engineering
Experimental development involving products or systems where performance must meet strict safety, survivability, or protective requirements, and failure is not an acceptable outcome. These projects typically involve impact resistance, structural integrity under extreme events, or performance validation against demanding operational or certification standards where standard design methods are insufficient.
Examples of supported SR&ED work include:
• Ballistic-resistant vest and personal protection system development
• Ballistic door panel and protective structural system engineering
• Military and tactical lighting systems requiring extreme durability and reliability
• Protective system performance validation under impact and environmental stress
• Structural reinforcement and survivability improvements for specialized vehicles
• Safety-focused product redesign to meet enhanced performance criteria
Measurement, Precision & Validation Technologies
Experimental development involving systems and tools used to measure, align, validate, or verify performance where precision limits, repeatability challenges, or real-world variability prevent reliable results using standard methods. These projects often support other engineering efforts by enabling accurate testing, calibration, or performance confirmation under demanding conditions.
Examples of supported SR&ED work include:
• Precision measurement devices and custom inspection systems
• Development of specialized fixtures for high-accuracy machining and validation
• Alignment and calibration systems for complex manufacturing equipment
• Performance validation tools used in safety, structural, or durability testing
• Custom sensing and monitoring solutions for difficult-to-measure processes
• Measurement system refinement where environmental or operational factors affected reliability
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