NRC seeks to increase spending on machinery

The machines that run Canadian industry are getting smarter, friendlier to the environment and more reliable, all because of collaborations with research and development bodies such as the National Research Council’s Institute for Machinery Research (IMR).

“Our objective is to develop the innovation systems and critical technologies that are crucial to building a strong high-tech machinery and equipment sector in Canada,” says James McBeth, IMR’s director general. “Although it’s a high-growth sector worldwide, Canada has low research and development spending and a major negative trade balance in machinery.” The institute’s mandate is to help reverse both these situations by developing technology and by building science and technology infrastructure. Money now spent on imported machinery-related technologies could be kept in Canada. It is not an insignificant amount: Canadian industry’s machinery and equipment purchases in 1993 reached $47 billion, with 70% of these purchases being imported.

IMR has developed applications for use in mining, forestry, airports, pulp and paper mills, electrical utilities, oil and gas, transportation and manufacturing. Work to date for the mining sector includes development of high-frequency water jets for assisting continuous mining machines. Projects in process include development of water-jet devices for down-hole work. IMR aims to provide its industry partners with the tools, technology, information, skills, research facilities and multi-disciplinary expertise to solve complex machinery design, operation and control problems. IMR research groups are scheduled to move into a new $12-million facility on the campus of the University of British Columbia this spring. The facility is 50,000 sq. ft. in size and will offer the expertise of researchers in tribology (the study of friction and wear), control systems, machine condition monitoring, information technology, and dynamics and fluid power (including a heavy hydraulics section).