The University of Windsor is getting a huge boost in its efforts to help industry with its challenges.
The school has announced a sweeping partnership with several global companies as the result of a $5.5-million research grant for its Institute for Diagnostic Imaging Research (IDIR).
The announcement was made Thursday at the university's EPICentre, with representatives from Ford Canada, Bombardier, and the Narmco Group among those discussing their roles in the partnership.
The funding will support a project led by the IDIR's director general, Dr. Ramon Maev, entitled "Novel Quantitative Non-Destructive Quality Evaluation of Advance Joining and Consolidation Manufacturing Processes." Specifically, it will test and develop resilient coatings and tools for this application, as well as ultrasonic, on-site testing techniques.
The grant is being provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's (NSERC) collaborative research and development program.
Pamela Moss, NSERC's director of manufacturing, communication and technologies, says the leadership of Dr. Maev was one key thing noticed by the council when they visited the university to evaluate its grant application.
"The project will be led by a very dynamic world-class researcher and an exceptional supervisor, who has a proven track record of successfully running large-scale projects," says Moss.
Windsor-Tecumseh MP Cheryl Hardcastle says Windsor will benefit from what is expected to become a huge opportunity for the university.
"This is really something that is getting a lot of attention," says Hardcastle. "All of these partners need to be proud of this moment, and these relationships are trailblazing."
Ford Canada is expected to use the research to create advance thermal-barrier coatings with low heat conductivity. Bombardier will use coatings to save money on repairs of fuselage skin and wing-tail leading edges. The Narmco Group, specifically Canadian ElectroCoating Ltd., is expected to develop an advanced portable inspection system for real-time weld inspections.
On a local level, EnWin Utilities' EnWin Energy division will use the research to improve the conductivity of electrical connectors, to reduce the risk of power interruptions.