Waterloo awarded $5 million to accelerate sustainable additive manufacturing
The funding will support the creation of an industry-facing Consortium for Sustainable Scale-up in Metal Additive Manufacturing
What began as a 150-square-foot windowless lab at the University of Waterloo in 2004 is today the Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing (MSAM) Lab — Canada’s largest academic metal additive manufacturing (AM) facility. With a space spanning 15,000 square feet, equipped with more than $25 million in cutting-edge infrastructure, MSAM leads innovation in advanced manufacturing, developing the next generation of sustainable 3D printing technologies for industries worldwide.
The lab's growth and expansion provide industry and students with access to top-tier expertise and equipment, enabling the comprehensive development, iteration, and validation of additively manufactured products from raw materials to finished goods by applying advanced scientific discoveries to industrial contexts.
In recognition of MSAM Lab’s continued success, the Honourable Ruby Sahota, Minister of Democratic Institutions and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced an investment of $5 million to the University of Waterloo. The funding supports the creation of the Consortium for Sustainable Scale-up in Metal Additive Manufacturing (CSS-MAM).
“To protect our local economies and increase the capacity of local supply chains, we need to support homegrown solutions that drive innovation, create good-paying jobs for Canadians, and tackle climate change,” said The Honourable Ruby Sahota, Minister of Democratic Institutions and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. “Today’s investments highlights the Government of Canada’s continued commitment to driving innovation and sustainable growth across key sectors, ensuring that Canadian solutions lead the way.”
Under the leadership of Drs. Ehsan Toyserkani and Mihaela Vlasea, co-directors of MSAM, the CCS-MAM will build on the lab’s tremendous success and concentrate on three main areas: clean economic growth, accelerating scale-up of partner industries’ production and training.
The MSAM Lab is pioneering technologies of the future. It revolutionizes both large and small-scale advanced manufacturing while promoting sustainability. By adopting economically and environmentally sustainable materials and minimizing waste through precise material deposition, the lab enhances clean technology and responsible production, reducing excess consumption and energy use.
The funding will also aid in creating a mix of online and in-person advanced industry training programs. The curriculum will focus on facilitating up-skilling to address the significant need for skilled engineers in the Canadian workforce, along with a specific high demand for professionals needed in the AM sector.
“Thank you to the Government of Canada and FedDev Ontario for this significant investment. The creation of CSS-MAM will allow the University of Waterloo to leverage our talent and proven track record of industry partnerships to support R&D for even more startups and small and medium enterprises,” says Charmaine Dean, vice-president, Research and International.
“Importantly, it allows for direct industry access to advanced facilities to achieve agile solutions. It also supports industry-focused training for the skilled workforce of tomorrow. By advancing the scale-up of domestic sustainable supply-chain clusters, CSS-MAM envisions a green and prosperous future for the economies of southern Ontario and Canada.”
As Waterloo embraces additive manufacturing’s potential for innovative R&D through MSAM, it stands at the forefront of advancing custom-product development, providing intelligent quality assurance platforms and shaping the future of AM.
University of Waterloo acknowledges the support of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).
