Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

The Applied Research and Development (Level I ARD), grant from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) will support the applied research partnership between Camosun College and Harwood Custom Composites Inc., a local Vancouver Island company which has been providing advanced composite solutions to the aerospace industry for over 15 years. Composites are engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain separate and distinct within the finished structure. An example of a common application of composites can be found in shower stalls and bathtubs which are made of fiberglass. Composites have been around for a long period of time, however, with the advent of new light weight and stronger materials such as carbon fiber, combined with the development of advanced adhesive resins, the ability to manufacture ultra light super strong products for a greater variety of functions has never been more exciting. This new College-Industry partnership will result in new composite production techniques that will allow Harwood Custom Composites Inc to expand their expertise in the field of composite manufacturing.