Research intended to enable next-generation
worker training and will involve Bruce Power's refurbishment
program
CAMBRIDGE, ON, Feb. 14, 2020 /CNW/ - ATS Automation Tooling
Systems Inc. (TSX: ATA) ("ATS") an industry-leading automation
solutions provider is pleased to announce a collaboration agreement
with Conestoga College to advance ATS's digitization capabilities.
The collaboration builds on the long-standing research and
development relationship between ATS and Conestoga's SMART (Smart
Manufacturing and Advanced Recycling Technologies) Centre.
This latest project will combine the nuclear refurbishment
expertise of ATS with SMART Centre's Augmented (AR), Virtual (VR)
and Mixed Realities and will build on ATS's new Illuminate Smart
Coach™ (https://illuminatemi.com/smartcoach/) digital training
service.
"Collaborating with Conestoga strengthens ATS's commitment to
remaining a leading-edge automation solutions provider," said
Udo Panenka, ATS President Mobility,
Nuclear and Specialty Automation. "We continuously look for
innovative and transformative ways to provide our customers with
the highest level of service. Advancing the possibilities of
automation control through simulation and visualization within our
products, tooling solutions and processes is crucial to helping our
customers achieve the highest level of performance."
The partners will focus initially on adopting AR/VR enhancements
to improve human performance and worker efficiency during the
training, maintenance and support of ATS tooling used in the Bruce
Power Major Component Replacement (MCR) program.
Bruce Power's MCR program involves the refurbishment of six
nuclear reactors and will enable the nuclear power plant to deliver
clean and reliable energy for Ontario for the next four decades. ATS plays a
key role in supporting the program by designing and supplying all
of the automation equipment required to remove the irradiated
reactor components including the fuel channels, calandria tubes and
calandria tube inserts. Reactor component removal tooling has been
designed to maximize safety during the removal process while
optimizing operational resources.
"Conestoga and ATS Automation are developing newer, smarter ways
to use technology and train employees," says Rob Hoare, Construction Director at Bruce Power.
"We're excited to leverage these innovations to enhance the
training of our workers which will have a direct impact on the
safety and quality of our 13-year MCR Project. We're proud to work
with local, innovative partners like Conestoga and ATS. By
embracing new technology, we're able to get work done safer and to
the highest level of quality."
Testing of the technology will leverage the MCR Integration
Facility, which is a state-of-the-art automation testing site at
ATS Cambridge, purposely built for the Bruce Power MCR program.
"Applied research with industry partners is a cornerstone of
polytechnic education," said Conestoga President John Tibbits. "Conestoga's long-standing
collaboration with ATS continues to yield tremendous benefits,
advancing innovation to address business needs while providing
valuable learning and development opportunities for students and
faculty alike."
The collaboration is funded by Ontario Centres of Excellence
(OCE), through its College Voucher for Technology Adoption (CVTA)
program.
About Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced
Learning
Conestoga College is a leader in polytechnic
education, delivering a comprehensive range of career-focused
education and training to prepare students for success, support
industry and workforce needs, and promote economic prosperity
throughout the region it serves and across Ontario. In 2019, Conestoga earned a
top-twelve ranking among Canada's
Top 50 Research Colleges, according to a report from Research
Infosource Inc. Over the past year, more than 3,600 students and
close to 270 faculty members at the college were engaged in applied
research through capstone, curriculum-based and independent
research projects. Conestoga's SMART Centre is a state-of-the-art
facility, located in the Gaslight District in Galt, that focuses on two core areas of
applied research; Smart Manufacturing and Advanced Recycling
Technologies. Here, students and faculty collaborate with industry
partners to develop innovative solutions that enhance productivity
and sustainability.
About ATS
ATS is an industry-leading automation
solutions provider to many of the world's most successful
companies. ATS uses its extensive knowledge base and global
capabilities in custom automation, repeat automation, automation
products and value-added services, including pre-automation and
after-sales services, to address the sophisticated manufacturing
automation systems and service needs of multinational customers in
markets such as life sciences, chemicals, consumer products,
electronics, food, beverage, transportation, energy, and oil and
gas. Founded in 1978, ATS employs approximately 4,500 people at 24
manufacturing facilities and over 50 offices in North America, Europe, Southeast
Asia and China. The
Company's shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the
symbol ATA. Visit the Company's website at
www.atsautomation.com
Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains certain statements that constitute
forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable
securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Such
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements of ATS, or developments in ATS'
business or in its industry, to differ materially from the
anticipated results, performance, achievements or developments
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements include all disclosure regarding
possible events, conditions or results of operations that is based
on assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of
action. Forward-looking statements may also include, without
limitation, any statement relating to future events, conditions or
circumstances. ATS cautions you not to place undue reliance upon
any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the
date they are made. Forward-looking statements relate to, among
other things, the advancement of ATS's digitization capabilities
and adopting AR/VR enhancements to improve human performance and
worker efficiency. The risks and uncertainties that may affect
forward-looking statements include, among others: the potential for
the project not to achieve targeted outcomes, and other risks
detailed from time to time in ATS' filings with Canadian provincial
securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are based on
management's current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and
opinions, and other than as required by applicable securities laws,
ATS does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking
statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates,
projections, beliefs and opinions change.
SOURCE ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc.