When Ontario Drive & Gear Limited (ODG), a gear manufacturing company in New Hamburg, had an accuracy process challenge with its gear shaping machine, the company didn’t know where to turn. To remain competitive in the marketplace, the speed and precision of the machine needed to be elevated to improve cycle time and make parts faster.
Joel Wright, ODG’s president, gear division, was familiar with the University of Waterloo. Wright is a Waterloo alumnus and active participant in the University’s renowned co-op program. However, it wasn’t until he met Jackie Serviss, industrial liaison officer for Research Partnerships, at an event hosted by the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC) that Wright was able to connect with experts who could help ODG over its hurdle.
“I never would have thought there was someone with the right expertise to help us before we got involved with Research Partnerships at Waterloo,” says Wright. “Now we know Waterloo has experts that can help us with any project we have underway, or any future project we dream up.”
With the expertise of Waterloo professors, ODG was able to improve the speed and precision of its grinding machine which advanced cycle time, increasing both productivity and the volume of gears through the plant. The project was so successful that a follow-up proposal was created to see what other improvements could be made. These projects received $90,000 from Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) and allowed ODG to improve its machinery and make parts faster.
The generous fund matching provided by the government is an excellent way for ODG to leverage their research and development dollars. “We are confident that the work we do with Waterloo will benefit us financially,” says Wright.
The sentiments of Wright are shared by Jamie McPherson, advanced engineering manager for ODG. “We’re amazed to see the different areas of expertise within the University and all the ways we can work with Waterloo to improve our business,” he says.
The future is bright for the partnership between ODG and Waterloo. McPherson and Wright continue to hire Waterloo co-op students and graduates – including a graduate who worked on the gear shaping machine project. They’re also keeping their eyes open for other potential partnerships, and are looking to connect with a 3D printing expert at Waterloo as the next step in this ongoing, mutually-beneficial partnership.