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January 16, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

The National Research Council of Canada and Fives join forces to develop inspection technology for the aerospace sector

Licensing the next-generation of surface profilometer for in-process inspection

MONTREAL, Jan. 15, 2019 /CNW/ - As the aerospace industry in Canada and around the world continues to increase its use of automated composite manufacturing techniques to produce large aircraft components, the industry is eager to find solutions to manufacture reliable, safe, and cost effective composite structures. The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and Fives are working together to improve the efficiency of manufacturing composite parts. They are developing an advanced profilometer that will provide faster and more accurate part inspection.

Based on an innovative optical technology, the advanced profilometer for composite placement shows considerable advantages over existing inspection technologies used for the same purposes. This groundbreaking in-process inspection technology will help manufacturers meet strict standards by providing superior measuring information without limiting the process functionality. These faster, better measurements will speed up manufacturing processes, reduce the risk of errors, and help composite manufacturers be more competitive.

Fives has already started the last testing stage of the next-generation profilometer with customers and expects to begin commercializing the technology before the end of 2019. The NRC and Fives will continue to work together to advance this technology and bring innovative manufacturing solutions to the aerospace industry.

Quick facts

  • Manufacturing makes up nearly half of Canada's aerospace sector. Canada is home to more than 700 aerospace companies employing over 85,000 skilled professionals. The aerospace industry contributed $12.6 billion to Canadian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2017.
  • The NRC's aerospace manufacturing technologies centre supports industry, particularly the aerospace sector, in developing, demonstrating and implementing next-generation, cost-effective manufacturing methods.
  • Fives designs and supplies machines, process equipment and production lines for various industrial sectors and is a major supplier of composite manufacturing equipment to the aerospace industry. The engineering group employs close to 8,700 people in about thirty countries, mainly in Canada, the United States, and Europe. The Metal Cutting and Composites group that worked on this project has over 1,100 people globally.

Quotes

"The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is proud to work with Fives to advance the profilometer technology, pioneered by a multidisciplinary NRC team. Our expertise, paired with Fives' forward-thinking methods, will help achieve the original vision of developing an innovative, high-impact solution that enhances the efficiency of automated composite manufacturing and facilitates the digital transformation of the process. "
Iain Stewart
President, National Research Council of Canada

"This is an exciting project for Fives as it demonstrates our commitment to advancing state-of-the-art composite application technology with productivity driven innovations, for both new and existing installations."
Steve Thiry
President and CEO, Fives Machining Systems Inc.

"We have a strong history of supporting innovation. By joining with the National Research Council of Canada, we are once again contributing to the evolution of cutting-edge technologies for the aerospace and defense industries."
Erik Lund
President and CEO, Fives Lund

About the National Research Council of Canada
The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is the Government of Canada's largest research organization. It is a key part of the Innovation and Skills Plan and of Budget 2018's commitment to supporting Canada's researchers to build a more innovative economy. To help position Canada as a global leader, the NRC is increasing its collaboration with regional ecosystems and with universities, polytechnic institutions and colleges, and establishing collaboration centres across the country.

Twitter: @nrc_cnrc
Instagram: @nrc_cnrc

About Fives
As an industrial engineering Group with a heritage of over 200 years, Fives designs and supplies machines, process equipment and production lines for the world's largest industrial players in various sectors such as steel, aerospace and special machining, aluminium, automotive and manufacturing industries, cement, energy, logistics and glass. The effectiveness of its R&D programs enables Fives to design forward-thinking solutions that anticipate industrials' needs in terms of profitability, performance, quality, safety and respect for the environment.

In 2017, Fives achieved a turnover of €1.9 billion and employed close to 8,700 people in about thirty countries.

Twitter: @fivesgroup

SOURCE National Research Council Canada

For further information: Media Relations, National Research Council of Canada, 613-991-1431, 1-855-282-1637, media@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca; Kimberly Prophett, Fives - Metal Cutting Composite, + 920 906 2566, kimberley.prophett@fivesgroup.com

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/the-national-research-council-of-canada-and-fives-join-forces-to-develop-inspection-technology-for-the-aerospace-sector-872551740.html

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    March 9, 2023 – Ottawa – National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces Today, the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces announced that they are launching public consultations with all Canadians on the Defence Policy Update (DPU), announced in Budget 2022. The DPU will build on Canada’s current defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged (SSE) and will enable the Canadian Armed Forces to meet any threat in the changed global security environment. Canada’s defence policy – SSE – launched in 2017, is our 20-year plan to provide the Canadian Armed Forces with the capabilities, equipment and culture needed to anticipate and respond to threats and protect Canadians. While SSE correctly identified the trends shaping the global security environment, the geopolitical landscape has changed significantly since 2017, and an update is clearly necessary. 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We will continue to move forward on the Directive for CAF Reconstitution, Retention Strategy, and other new recruitment initiatives announced this past year, as well as the ground-breaking culture change recommendations from former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour that Minister Anand has directed DND/CAF to deliver on. This review of Canada’s defence policy is being undertaken as we continue to move forward on, and build upon, our already-announced defence priorities. Protecting Canadians will always be the most important mission of the Canadian Armed Forces. In 2022, we announced an investment of $38.6 billion to modernize NORAD over the next 20 years. We are strengthening our Arctic security through joint exercises, six new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships and enhanced surveillance and intelligence capabilities that we continue to acquire under SSE. 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Over the past number of months, Department of National Defence officials, members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Minister of National Defence have been working with partners to identify the challenges that the DPU must address, and the means to get us there.  We are now looking forward to welcoming further input from the Canadian public and stakeholders on our next steps. These consultations include: A new web platform, through which all Canadians can provide comments and feedback in response to the DPU’s areas of focus; Roundtable discussions with Canadian industry leaders and Canadian defence and security companies; Roundtable discussions with Canadian defence and security experts, including academics; Input from Members of Parliament and Senators; Discussions with Indigenous communities and leaders, as well as other levels of government; and Continued high-level talks with NATO Allies, NORAD officials, Five Eyes representatives, and international partners – many of which are also undergoing similar review processes. Industry, experts, governments, Indigenous partners, civil society organizations, Parliamentarians, and all Canadians are invited to provide their comments, including on the following five themes: Supporting our people; Building organizational capacity; Maintaining and adapting the essential capabilities of the Canadian Armed Forces; Upgrading continental and Arctic defences; and Capabilities needed for modern conflict. This input will be crucial to updating Canada’s defence policy, and to ensuring that our country is prepared to respond to new and emerging threats in the current geopolitical landscape – all while creating economic opportunities and jobs for Canadians. These engagements will complement the Minister of National Defence and senior DND/CAF officials’ ongoing conversations with industry partners, defence and security experts, Parliamentarians, Indigenous communities, and international allies and partners, about building a modern 21st century military that can respond to the security challenges of today and into the future. They will also build on the extensive, multi-year consultations that DND/CAF undertook to inform Strong, Secure, Engaged, their consultations with a wide range of partners in the lead-up to the release of Canada’s NORAD modernization plan and recent, targeted engagements with partners on the DPU. Our forthcoming engagements will be held with industry, experts, governments, allies, Parliamentarians, Indigenous partners, and the Canadian public through a variety of fora to make sure we get this right. 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Support for Ukraine is a top priority for the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces. Since February 2022, Canada has committed over $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, in addition to its ongoing efforts to train Armed Forces of Ukraine  personnel, and transport Ukraine-bound military aid on Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) aircraft within Europe. In November 2022, Canada released its Indo-Pacific Strategy, which enhances its defence presence in the Indo-Pacific Region. Budget 2022 announced a review of Strong, Secure, Engaged to allow Canada to update its existing defence policy. To view the latest information on the DPU process and to provide comments online on our next steps, we encourage all Canadians and defence stakeholders to visit our web platform. Submissions will be reviewed and considered from March 9 to April 30, 2023, to inform our path forward.  https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2023/03/department-of-national-defence-and-canadian-armed-forces-open-public-consultations-on-update-to-canadas-defence-policy-to-all-canadians.html

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