COALITION FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING: ACTIVITIES

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OVERVIEW

At CAM, we’re working to take advanced manufacturing in Manitoba to the next level. Our two-pronged approach was developed by manufacturers for manufacturers with support and input from all elements of the manufacturing ecosystem:

First, our manufacturing working groups are made up of players from across the industry’s ecosystem who are hard at work closing gaps and capitalizing on Manitoba’s unique differentiators.

And second, CAM activities are focused on stimulating and quick starting high-impact manufacturing opportunities in the province. We’ve created a hub that ensures that industry and its supporters, from academia to government to service providers and everyone in between, are working collaboratively towards a shared vision.

COMMITTEES

CAM members are working together on five pillars of focus to catapult Manitoba’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem to the next level. Building on a strong foundation, these five key areas represent the biggest potential for Manitoba industry:

  • Take a multi-sectoral approach to continuous improvement;
  • Establish Manitoba leadership in advanced manufacturing research, innovation and technology
  • Develop an advanced manufacturing workforce
  • Leverage government, industry and academic resources to maximize economic impact; and
  • Grow high-quality employment opportunities.

An industry-led committee with representation from across the ecosystem works in each pillar ensuring collaboration and the execution of a shared vision in pursuit of a single goal.

COMMITTEES AVAILABLE

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

CAM’s Executive Committee meets regularly to provide strategic oversight, and plan the activities and initiatives that will drive Industry 4.0 in Manitoba. The executive coordinates committees and other efforts, and meets on an ongoing basis with government, education and other key stakeholders to advance CAM’s agenda. The executive committee’s mandate is to facilitate any and all activities to accomplish the vision of Manitoba as a world-class advanced manufacturing centre.

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

The break-neck pace of innovation presents unique opportunities and challenges for Industry 4.0 in Manitoba. CAM’s Research and Technology Committee is creating a platform for information exchange, promoting collaborative activities to develop and commercialize processes and technologies. Committee members are identifying and assisting in the pursuit of research and technology development opportunities at home and abroad; planning and delivering (as the lead or through partnerships) workshops and other collaborative forums and finding, creating or facilitating funding opportunities. Interested in lending your voice? Join us!

ACADEMIC COMMITTEE

Manufacturing productivity and competitiveness rely on a skilled labour pool that can adapt and excel in a rapidly-changing digital work environment. CAM’s Academic Committee includes representation from all major post-secondary institutions in the province and aims to ensure that all elements of Manitoba’s manufacturing ecosystem are working collaboratively toward a shared objective. The committee works to provide advice and insight that will help establish Manitoba’s leadership in applied and theoretical advanced manufacturing research and technology; while enhancing and improving the existing educational framework to support the development and advancement of a modern advanced manufacturing workforce. Interested in lending your voice? Join us!

COMMERCIALIZATION COMMITTEE

Information will be available in the coming months. Interested in lending your voice? Join us!

ONGOING EFFORTS

Along with other stakeholders, we’re also working to establish demonstration environments where advanced manufacturing concepts can be developed, proven and inserted rapidly. And CAM is a manufacturers’ first point of contact for the financial and operational guidance and supports they need to take their factories from the drawing board to the plant floor, with the right insights and training from the top down and the bottom up. Our ongoing activities include:

ON-GOING ACTIVITIES

INDUSTRIAL CAMPUS

Canada’s productivity is declining as we continue to fall behind our counterparts in the industrialized world. Advanced technology adoption is no longer a choice, it’s a necessity. In Manitoba, this means the ability to demonstrate and integrate a broad range of digital technologies is critical. By helping to establish an additive manufacturing industrial campus with a focus on the cyber-physical environments (machines and people), we can quick-start the critical adoption of industry 4.0 technologies by Manitoba’s predominantly SME manufacturing community. SMEs conversion requires an environment where various digital technologies can be integrated and demonstrated and the industrial campus project will do just that.

Red River College, and PrecisionADM are jointly submitting a proposal in early 2019 for an Additive Manufacturing Industrial Campus (AMIC) which pursue applied research and development initiatives aimed at developing both the technologies as well as the highly qualified personnel needed for this keystone Industry 4.0 technology area. The industrial campus will include other key partners, notably the University of Manitoba and other company participants. The AMIC will be the model for industry/academic/government collaboration necessary to achieve the economic goals of strong economic growth through manufacturing. Connect with us to stay in the loop!

SIF STREAM FOUR PROPOSAL

The Federal Government’s ISED Strategic Innovation Fund Stream Four is aimed at networks like CAM and allows for advanced industrial research, development and technology demonstration through collaboration between academia, non-profits and the private sector. By uniting the manufacturing ecosystem under one umbrella, we hope to pursue Stream IV funding in three areas: pre-competitive research, technology demonstration and validation and skills development. Pre-competitive research projects will explore emerging digital manufacturing technologies to determine feasibility for further maturation. Technology demonstration projects will typically be at exploratory or advanced development model stage technologies through various stages of technology maturation, demonstrating or validating technology concepts in near actual environments. Remaining efforts will be focused on developing advanced digital manufacturing competencies and skills through work/learn environments and may include student placement in advanced digital manufacturing environments not associated with specific CAM projects.

We have established our network framework and are now waiting a Call for Proposals from ISED that is expected in the Spring/Summer 2019. We will soon be working with industry to develop a suite of initial project concepts that will identify industry priorities and establish collaborative mechanisms with participants in Canada’s four western provinces. Connect with us to stay in the loop!

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING DEGREES (B. TECH)

Despite all the talk about automation, it’s people who will drive our ability to realize the productivity and economic potential of advanced digital manufacturing in Manitoba. However, competency requirements are changing and will continue to evolve – and quickly. A new educational paradigm is needed and needed soon – laddered, continuous, and comprehensive with multiple points of entry and exit. Applied learning needs to be responsible, and change quickly to changes in the labour market as new jobs are created to match new technologies. We’re working to advance the creation of a polytechnic education model where Manitoba industry and academia are fully integrated in applied research/work environments. The proposed Advanced Manufacturing Degree (B. Tech) will increase system capacity at a degree level, build on college access, support an innovation agenda through applied research and commercialization, improve affordability of agile, advanced education and address demand for higher credentials and mobility. The Advanced Manufacturing Degree (B Tech) will be the culmination of a series of micro, certificate, and diploma streams that will be the advanced manufacturing human capital development framework.

This Additive Manufacturing Industrial Campus clearly shows how industry and academia will work evermore closely together – working as you learn, learning as you work. Manitoba already has two Canada-unique industrial campuses and will leverage our experience from the Centre for Aerospace Technology and Training (CATT) and the Centre for Non-destructive Inspection (CNDI) campuses. Connect with us to stay in the loop!

NRC ADVANCED MANUFACTURING RESEARCH CENTRE

Formerly known as the “Factory of the Future”, and slated to open within the next three years, the National Research Council’s 60-million manufacturing research facility is an exciting addition to Manitoba’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem. Located in the CentrePort Canada industrial complex, the 60,000 square-foot, collaborative facility will bring together NRC employees, manufacturers, education, students and others under the NRC Advanced Manufacturing program umbrella. The facility will house labs and office space. Read more.