Experts at the University of Waterloo and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) are teaming up to help Canadian companies capitalize on the enormous potential of metal 3D printing technologies.
The partnership combines MSAMs (Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing) extensive expertise in metal AM process optimization with the NRCs decades-long experience in materials science and metal powders development to enable research from powder to part.
The collaboration will build on that relationship at a new NRC facility in Mississauga. The site will launch powder synthesis, recycling, and characterization capabilities in Ontario to customize AM and reduce material costs for industry applications.
The underlying objective is to make AM technology economically viable for more Canadian manufacturers, either by creating new commercial powders which now number less than two dozen – or dramatically reducing the costs of using existing powders.
The research teams will also study the production of powders by the Canadian mining industry of sufficient quality for AM processes.
The partnership positions researchers at MSAM and the NRC to provide Canadian industry with comprehensive access to advanced manufacturing equipment and expertise, and to secure funding for collaborative efforts.
