Getting set for the next 50 years (6 photos)

There was much more than an inflatable R2-D2 to capture your attention at a Sault College ceremony Friday afternoon.

College officials, elected leaders and private sector VIPs were on hand for the official opening of the Sault College and Tenaris Robotics Lab.

The lab will allow students currently enrolled in Sault College programs to integrate cutting-edge, robotic technology into their learning.

In addition, the college will launch a new, one-year graduate certificate program in Robotics in September 2016.

"That new program will accept applicants from a whole variety of programs including electrical, mechanical, welding, computer programming, and eventually the graduates will have knowledge of how to program robots and end up going to work for companies like Tenaris," said Colin Kirkwood, Sault College dean of environment, technology and business, speaking to SooToday.

"If we have graduates with skills, the industries in the town will be able to take advantage of it…if we don't have the skills, there won't be any jobs for the grads."

Kirkwood said the college and Tenaris are confident tough times currently facing Tenaris will pass and there will be jobs for robotics grads.

"We're just waiting for the price of oil to go back up."

"These robots (purchased from ABB Robotics) are the best of the best," Kirkwood said.

The robotics lab will also be a place where employees of Tenaris and many other Sault businesses will be able to upgrade their skills.

Those businesses could include Essar Steel Algoma, Soo Foundry, Heliene, Rector Machine Works, China Steel, and others.

The college will host a series of free, hands-on robotics workshops for industry figures who wish to learn how robots can help improve their businesses, beginning with a first session 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. November 5 in Room B1050.

The lab consists of two rooms with eight robots up and running, with another robot on the way. 

Kirkwood estimated total cost for the lab to be around $1.2 million.

Apart from investment from Tenaris, the federal government contributed $490,000 toward the lab, followed by a $310,000 investment from the province.

Funding also came from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Ontario Centres of Excellence and ABB Robotics.

 A large audience gathered in the Common Link to hear remarks from several speakers before guests and media attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a tour of the lab.

"We're entering a new era of accelerated change, one that involves robotics and other disruptive technologies that puts unprecedented demands on skills training," Common told the audience.

"In another year (Ontario community) colleges are going to be celebrating their fiftieth anniversary and today shows how much colleges have changed and evolved in the last 50 years and we're getting set now for the next 50 years."

"When you go down the hall and see our new robotics lab and you pass by our aviation simulators you can see how important it is to stay current," Common said.

Sault College began pursuing its dream of building a robotics lab on campus in 2013.  

Among the VIPs present for Friday's opening ceremonies were Kirkwood, Sault College President Dr. Ron Common, Tenaris Canadian Vice President and Managing Director Guillermo Moreno, Sault MPP David Orazietti, Sault Mayor Christian Provenzano.

News releases from Sault College and Sault Ste. Marie MPP David Orazietti follow.

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Sault College unveils its newest technologies

(Sault Ste. Marie, ON October 30, 2015) Sault College, in partnership with Tenaris, has taken its place as a leader in the field of automation with the acquisition of industrial ABB robots. College supporters gathered today to celebrate the advanced field of robotics at Sault College with the official opening of the Sault College and Tenaris Robotics Lab on campus.

“Welcome to the future!” noted Dr. Ron Common, President at Sault College, as he greeted the crowd gathered. “The Robotics labs on campus will assist our community in providing a locally-grown talent pool that will promote a strong and innovative manufacturing base in our region. It will bring great advantages to the economic sector of the community and will help grow our region. We are grateful to the many supporters who have made this robotics installation possible.”

Others were on hand to join in the celebration of the College’s new wave of state-of-the-art technology, including various funders. With initial funding from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and private industry partner Tenaris, Sault College renovated existing space and installed two robots for Phase I of the project. Additional funding announced earlier this year from FedNor and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) assisted in the completion of Phase II, which included six additional training robots that will allow concurrent applied research and hands-on training activities in a practical environment in tandem with no scheduling conflicts.

Additional funding partners for the project included the Ontario Centres of Excellence and ABB Robotics. Rockwell Automation, Westburne and Ionic Engineering and Innovation also contributed to the lab.

“We are very pleased to be partnering with Sault College to help build success in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math in Sault Ste. Marie,” said Canadian Vice President and Managing Director Guillermo Moreno. “Education is a fundamental value at Tenaris. With our Technical Gene program, we work to strengthen technical education, translating classroom learning into industrial experience.”

With the acquisition of this advanced equipment, the funding will expand the College’s capabilities to be ideally positioned to further engage collaboratively with industry, educational and community partners in both applied research and talent development activities.

“Sault College will provide industry-led applied research projects relating to automation and advanced manufacturing in our region and beyond and will teach robotics as part of our programs, leading the development of a talent pool of highly qualified personnel that can stay in the North and support industries,” says Colin Kirkwood, Dean of Environment, Technology and Business at Sault College.

In an effort to provide crucial new resources for our industry partners and enhance the College’s capacity to produce the best trained graduates and skilled works for our region, Sault College will host a series of free Robotics workshops over the next few weeks. Funded by the Ontario Centres of Excellence and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the first of three workshops takes place at Sault College is scheduled for November 5th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The content of the workshop explores common terms in the robotics industry, showcases the current state-of-the-art robotics lab, provides insight into global best practices for robotic application and provides an overview of how robotics helps to improve industry. If you are interested in attending, please register with Dean Matthews, Robotics Manager at [email protected].

In addition to being incorporated into the current post-secondary programs, beginning in September 2016, Sault College will launch its new one-year, graduate certificate program in Robotics and is currently accepting applications. For more information or to register for this program, contact Student Recruitment at studentrecruitment@saultcollege.ca.

Sault College wishes to express its gratitude for the continued support of its numerous funders that will help keep the College on the leading edge of post-secondary learning in Canada.  

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Provincial Funding Supports Innovation and Skill Development

Today, David Orazietti, MPP, was joined by Sault College President Dr. Ron Common, faculty, staff and students at the unveiling of the expanded Robotics Lab at Sault College.

“Our government supports innovative college programming that contributes to the development of highly qualified individuals in new technologies which is vital to our local economic growth,” said Orazietti.  “This lab will make robotics technology training available to local industry and attract new students to our community.”

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) provided $310,275 to Sault College to purchase, integrate and install additional industrial robots and auxiliary equipment for their robotics lab, creating an ideal environment that facilitates full scale industry research and effective hands-on learning.

The new Robotics Lab will provide robotics training to industry personnel in Sault Ste. Marie; expand its engagement in industry-led applied research projects relating to automation and advanced manufacturing; and will lead to the development of a talent pool of highly qualified personnel.

“The investment made to our organization speaks to the recognition of the importance of innovation and embraces the opportunities before us as we enter a new era of accelerating change in manufacturing – one involving robotics and other advanced technologies that pose unprecedented demands on skills training,” said Dr. Ron Common, President, Sault College.

“As part of our strategy to proactively provide the best-trained highly qualified personnel with matched skills for industry, the Robotics labs on campus will assist our community in providing a locally-grown talent pool that will promote a strong and innovative manufacturing base in our region. In this way, it will bring great advantages to the economic sector of the community and will help grow our region. We are grateful to the many funders who have made this robotics installation possible.”

Supporting post-secondary education and skills training is part of the government’s economic plan that is creating jobs for today and tomorrow.

The comprehensive plan and its six priorities focus on Ontario’s greatest strengths - its people and strategic partnerships.

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(PHOTO: Close up of a state-of-the-art robot at the Sault College and Tenaris Robotics Lab, October 30, 2015. Darren Taylor/SooToday)