Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

******The Microstructure Engineering research group at UBC is widely recognized as a world leader in developing advanced through process models for advanced metals and alloys to optimize new and existing industrial processes. The group has a proven track record of transferring knowledge to their industry partners. The thermomechanical processing laboratory at UBC is the core experimental facility of the group to conduct tests required to develop and validate their process models. The key equipment is the DSI 3500 Thermomechanical Simulator augmented by a Laser Ultrasonics for Metallurgy (LUMet) system which were purchased with support of the Canadian Foundation of Innovation ($1.7 million). The LUMet system enables in situ microstructure characterization for high-through put measurements. UBC's system, unique in North America and one of only four in the world, was the first commercial unit. The development of the hardware/software and technique involved a close collaboration between UBC, Dynamic Systems Inc. and Tecnar with UBC driving the application to relevant scientific and industrial problems. Unfortunately, a catastrophic failure of the control system for the equipment occurred in September 2019 destroying multiple components and leaving the equipment unusable. This proposal requests support to replace the control systems (hardware and software) for both the simulator and LUMet systems. The enhancement of the equipment and training of highly qualified personnel (HQP) will be done at UBC by Dynamic Systems Inc. and Tecnar. The enhanced system will benefit from improved performance, ease of use and improved safety features. ***The failure of the system creates a loss of capability essential to the research programs of the group. Beyond affecting students whose project goals will not be able to be accomplished, it severely restricts the group's ability to attract future research funding in the area that has been its core strength for more than 25 years. Access to the thermomechanical simulator and LUMet systems has been critical for the group to attract more than $10 million of funding in the past 10 years and currently lies in the critical path for NSERC funded projects and research contracts with industry with funding of more than $900,000 per year (partners include Rio Tinto Aluminium, Ford, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, Evraz, TransCanada Energy, and Nippon Steel). The progress of more than 24 HQP (PhD, MASc, PDFs) is delayed due to the equipment failure with a particularly critical impact on 8 students who are to graduate in the next year but need to complete their experiments within this facility. ***The benefits to Canada will be realized by the unique training experience of the HQP, the creation of new scientific knowledge from the research program and the transfer of knowledge to Canadian industry to improve innovation and the competitiveness of these companies. *****