Twitter/ University of Waterloo @UWaterloo
Waterloo Uni AM lab
Bardish Chagger, MP for Waterloo and the minister of small business and tourism and Reza Moridi, Ontario’s minister of research, innovation and science tour University of Waterloo's AM lab.
The University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada has outlined the financial support it has received for its Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing Lab.
In total, the university has received $27 million, as well as ‘in-kind’ support, to get the lab up and running with state-of-the-art equipment and processes. Of that $27m, $8.9m was invested by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and $6.2m came from the Government of Ontario.
One of the key goals of the lab is to promote the adoption of industrial additive manufacturing. Experts worming from the facility will support companies as they get to grips with 3D printing technologies, while also conducting a wealth of research into the area.
“Additive manufacturing is poised to fundamentally change the way things are made,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice chancellor at the University of Waterloo. “Fuelled by a culture of innovation and backed by broad expertise in the advanced manufacturing sector, we look forward to playing a key role with our partners in unlocking the potential of this exciting technology.”
Waterloo Uni AM Lab
The Waterloo facility is committed to developing next generation additive process metal.
Bardish Chagger, MP for Waterloo and the minister of small business and tourism, was on campus earlier this week to announce FedDev Ontario’s $8.9m funding in the lab. Combined with the additional $6.2m from the Ontario Government, it is the largest ever government investment in additive manufacturing at a Canadian university.
“We are proud to support the University of Waterloo in continuing its role as a leader in additive manufacturing, innovation and strategic partnerships with the private sector,” said Chagger. “Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to supporting innovation, which translates into creating jobs and opportunities for middle-class Canadians.”
Navdeep Bains, the minister of innovation, science and economic development, and minister responsible for FedDev Ontario added: “The Government of Canada is committed to supporting innovation and competitiveness on a global scale. This means investing in research and development to place Canada at the leading edge of disruptive manufacturing technologies. It also means supporting the skills training for manufacturing jobs now and in the future.”
Local authorities see the Additive Manufacturing Lab at Waterloo as key to ensuring the state’s competitiveness in manufacturing, an industry of integral importance to the region’s economy.
Twitter/ Bardish Chagger @BardishKW
Waterloo Uni AM Lab
Bardish Chagger announces FedDev Ontario's $8.9m investment into Waterloo's AM lab
The Waterloo facility is committed to developing next generation additive process metal, using new sensors, quality assurance software and machine intelligence. A major patented innovation is the fabrication of smart components by 3D printing of sensors and their embedment into metal parts.
Building on the strong foundations already at Waterloo – the university has seen an array of expertise and patented technology developed there over the last 17 years – research will involve at least 14 professional and dozens of engineers, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students and co-op students. Experts at the lab will work directly with companies seeking to develop high-value products using additive manufacturing, equipping them to do their own production, or outsource it depending on their preference.
Once fully equipped, the Waterloo expect the lab to be one of the ten largest university-based AM facilities in the world.
“Through the support of the Government of Canada, this state-of-the-art lab will merge high technology with additive manufacturing,” said Pearl Sullivan, dean of engineering at Waterloo. “From machine design to the additive manufacturing process to final part quality, Canadian manufacturers now have a research hub to help them adopt end-to-end process innovation on their shop floors.”
