Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

The St. Clair College applied research program is strongly aligned with the manufacturing industry needs inx000D
Windsor-Essex - the largest sector in Windsor-Essex and Canada's most manufacturing intense region. Withx000D
the growth rate of advanced manufacturing rapidly increasing, it is essential that St. Clair College support localx000D
businesses with regards to innovation and global competitiveness through applied research and studentx000D
training. We propose to develop a 3D Innovation Lab for Advanced Manufacturing, housed in the Ford Centerx000D
for Excellence in Manufacturing at St. Clair College, that will include 3D printing and 3D scanningx000D
capabilities. 3D printing will provide new applied research project capabilities in advanced manufacturingx000D
product and process design through rapid prototyping, direct digital manufacturing of end use parts, rapidx000D
tooling, and tool, die, and mold design and manufacturing. 3D scanning is a complementary technology to 3Dx000D
printing that will provide new applied research project opportunities in advanced metrology to test thex000D
advantages gained by 3D printing applications. 3D scanning also has inherent advantages in regards to partx000D
inspection, reverse engineering, and laser alignments that are highly accurate, efficient, reliable and digitallyx000D
integrated, supporting current industry needs of automation, preventative maintenance, and real-timex000D
self-evaluation of individual processing components. The requested equipment for the 3D Innovation Lab are ax000D
3D metal printer and a composite materials (carbon fiber, fibreglass, and kevlar) 3D printer, and a 7-axisx000D
robotic arm with an integrated 3D scanner. The proposed equipment will provide local businesses with thex000D
opportunity to take part in applied research projects with low risk capital investment, to help test and justifyx000D
further 3D printing and 3D scanning technologies adoption, discover technology return on investments, andx000D
identify unique customer value and competitive advantages. St. Clair College's applied research andx000D
educational programs are catalysts to industry innovation and commercialization, and the proposed equipmentx000D
will be essential to regional, and thus national, success in advanced manufacturing innovation.