Grant: Applied Research Tools and Instruments Grants

Camosun College, located in Victoria, British Columbia (BC) on the unceded territories of the Lekwungen speaking and W?SÁNE? peoples, is seeking to meet the growing needs of our regional partners by purchasing a TRAK 3-Axis Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Bed Mill and a Hexagon Absolute Arm Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM), allowing for improved efficiency, scope, and speed in fabrication, prototyping, and inspection efforts for applied research projects in the region. The equipment will be used to meet the fabrication and training needs of industry partners and the training needs of highly qualified personnel (HQP), including students. A robust CNC mill is the backbone of any machine and production shop, supporting rapid prototyping and providing an easy-to-use, versatile fabrication engine. The TRAK mill will provide Camosun with a toolroom mill that can be operated manually or programmed for a variety of uses; it is designed for prototyping, repair work, metal cutting, and low-volume automated manufacturing. Use of the TRAK mill allows for production efficiencies and increased output on jobs that do not require the 5-axis milling; it also provides the opportunity for advanced training of HQP on equipment that represents the core capacity of our local manufacturing ecosystem. The Hexagon Absolute Arm is a high-accuracy CMM that provides precision measurement and inspection of machined parts via both tactile probing and non-contact scanning; its uniquely modular design allows rapid configuration for different types of inspection, including the use of 3D optical scanners to develop digital system models, as well as the ability to build customized measurement systems for specialized applications. The Hexagon Absolute Arm uses computerized coordinate measurement to provide extremely accurate data for complex geometry and organic shapes. In combination with our fabrication equipment, existing CNC mills, and the new TRAK mill, the Hexagon Absolute Arm is able to develop a precise digital model of machined parts, and reverse engineer existing parts in order to duplicate or iterate. Incorporation of this fabrication system will provide a dramatic improvement to our overall prototyping capabilities, and direct benefits to our core partner base.