Building an Advanced Manufacturing Cluster in Rural BC

与加拿大其他许多农村地区一样，公元前东南部的库特奈地区也有自然资源的历史 信实和这些基础性行业至今仍在。然而，由于经济结构调整和经济转型， 经济日益全球化，自然资源行业必须寻求新的方式来保持竞争力。这个 拟议的计划建立在超过15年的行业驱动型研究和劳动力发展支持以及 旨在支持不列颠哥伦巴东南部公司的先进制造需求。这个 计划最初将重点放在木材和金属制造集群内的机会上 区域，长期目标是扩大其覆盖范围，以包括新兴部门(例如与卫生有关的部门 原型)和来自加拿大西部的行业合作伙伴。研究议程将集中在大型 格式加法制造、集成大格式加法和减法制造、木材和 金属双产品利用，以及以数字制造为重点的技术转让。研究、行业培训 教育节目将与库特奈科学和技术协会合作提供 冶金工业发展加速研究技术中心(MIDAS) 成立于2015年，资金来自西方经济多元化。迈达斯工厂占地6500平方米。英国《金融时报》 麻省理工学院认证的Fab Lab，配备了包括3D扫描、3D 印刷，数控铣削设备，木材和金属木工及电子产品，以及相关的一套 工程、数控和软件应用。预计研究和劳动力发展议程 将帮助行业合作伙伴优化业务流程、降低成本、提高效率和 生产力和竞争力。通过教育规划和体验式学习的链接， 该计划还将促进高素质人才进入劳动力大军的发展 毕业后的技能。

Like many other rural regions in Canada, the Kootenay region in southeast BC has a history of natural resource reliance and these foundational industries remain today. However, as a result of economic restructuring and an increasingly globalized economy, natural resource industries must seek new ways to remain competitive. The proposed program builds on over 15 years of industry-driven research and workforce development support and is aimed at supporting the advanced manufacturing needs of companies in southeast British Columba. The program will focus initially on the opportunities within the wood and metals manufacturing cluster in the region, with the long term goal of expanding its reach to include emerging sectors (e.g. health related prototyping) and industry partners from across Western Canada. The research agenda will focus on large format additive manufacturing, integrated large format additive and subtractive manufacturing, wood and metals bi-product utilization, and digital fabrication-focused technology transfer. Research, industry training and educational programming will be delivered in partnership with the Kootenay Association for Science and Technology's Centre for Metallurgical Industrial Development Acceleration and Studies (MIDAS) which was launched in 2015 with funding from Western Economic Diversification. The MIDAS facility is a 6,500 sq. ft. MIT-certified Fab Lab that houses leading-edge digital fabrication equipment including 3D scanning, 3D printing, CNC milling equipment, wood and metal woodworking and electronics, and a suite of related engineering, CNC and software applications. It is anticipated the research and workforce development agenda will help industry partners to optimize business processes, decrease costs, enhance efficiency, and increase productivity and competitiveness. Through links to educational programming and experiential learning, the program will also promote development of highly qualified personnel entering the workforce with in-demand skills upon graduation.