In today’s ultra-competitive manufacturing landscape, savvy companies are leveraging cutting-edge technologies to drive innovation, optimize processes, reduce waste, and enhance precision.
From advanced robotics and artificial intelligence to additive manufacturing such as 3D printing, new tools are empowering manufacturers to operate more efficiently and even create previously unimaginable products, reshaping the future of manufacturing at the same time. The transformative intersection of technology and industry — dubbed the fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0 — is happening right here in Eastern Ontario.
Arnprior-based MetaLigna Modular Inc. was recently able to implement advanced technology into its operations thanks to a grant from the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters’ (CME) Technology Investment Program. MetaLigna is a leading provider of innovative solutions for the housing and construction industry throughout North America and beyond. Its expertise lies in Design for Manufacture Assembly (DfMA) of modular and kit-of-parts light-gauge steel buildings. With an emphasis on sustainability, its products are engineered for rapid assembly, using state-of-the-art technology and precision manufacturing processes to ensure optimal performance and durability.
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CME’s funding allowed MetaLigna to successfully integrate the Light Gauge Steel X6 Roll Forming System into its operations. Following extensive software customization, this advanced machinery has doubled the number of light-gauge steel stud and track profiles the company can produce, allowing MetaLigna to manufacture kit-of-parts buildings up to 12 stories instead of the previous six.
“As practitioners of high-tech manufacturing methodology, all of our designs are created and reviewed digitally before going to production,” explains Tapanga Koe, MetaLigna’s continuous improvement manager. “Our repeatable solutions use proven methods to reduce costs and waste, improve quality, create jobs and rapidly manufacture structures of any occupancy that are also energy-efficient, pest-resistant and can be assembled at the client site with less manual labour.”
MetaLigna’s investment in advanced technology is paying off in numerous ways. “We now have good scalability, both in terms of increasing product range and our ability to purchase a greater quantity of steel,” Koe says. She notes that the company only buys Canadian steel and it’s 90 per cent recycled. “Because our manufacturing is really precise, we also have very little waste in our process,” she adds.
In terms of benefits to customers, Koe confirms there are cost savings and improved scheduling. “We are able to meet or exceed our deadlines and can close building envelopes as much as 50 per cent faster than planned, as happened on a recent Ottawa project. We can also work with the client’s blueprints to value-engineer the framing using our proprietary design techniques so it will cost them less.
“We are planning on moving more towards automated assembly with robotics, which will open up further opportunities for our employees to enjoy more comfortable technical positions, with lots of training provided in house,” says Koe.
Automating to meet demand
Another group offering support to local companies is the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC), an inclusive and diverse not-for-profit organization connecting more than 2,000 businesses in Eastern Ontario, many of which have already implemented some form of advanced applications into their operations.
One such manufacturer is Med-Eng/Pacific Safety Products, also located in Arnprior. It makes body armour for Canadian military and law enforcement. Sean Cale is the company’s director of sales operations and he notes that its biggest challenge is human resources. “Our volume of work has increased exponentially, but workers are decreasing exponentially at the same time. As a result, we are looking at ways we can continue to automate to meet demand.”
He explains the company has already implemented automated fabric-cutting machines as well as automated sewing machines and notes it is seeing improvements in production speed and quality from these technologies.
“Now we are looking at what we like to call ‘cobots,’ which can transfer projects in process across the shop floor, so the humans currently performing this task can be freed up for more significant, value-add work. It’s our hope that this technology could help with improved focus for team leads and line leads and that the smoother transition of materials will improve delivery times for clients. As for our employees, ideally, becoming a more advanced technology company could help make us more appealing for workers.”
Customized engineered robots
Ottawa-based Mechatronic Design Solutions is helping manufacturers in the region and across North America harness the power of advanced technologies by applying its expertise in developing customized engineered robots and automation machinery. CEO Etienne Poisson explains that his team’s specialty is designing equipment for difficult-to-handle materials, often in the food processing industry.
“We have a proven track record of solving the most difficult automation problems,” Poisson says. “We do this through turnkey development of automated equipment, both bespoke machinery as well as robotics. We also offer industrial automation contracting in multiple forms, such as modifying code on clients’ machines, doing safety improvements or improving machinery to increase throughput and/or reliability. Finally, we provide research and development services relating to automating and mechanizing processes. In essence, we are involved in everything from the high-level design of manufacturing plants through to solving very specific packaging requirements. Our success is all in the details and how we put the building blocks together in unique ways.”
Cornwall-based Fieldless Farms, which uses automated systems to create an ideal year-round climate to grow greens indoors, is one of Mechatronics’ customers. Poisson says the company was processing and packaging lettuce by hand before taking delivery of a new custom solution, which automates the sorting, mixing and packaging.
“Indoor agriculture is a relatively new industry so commercially available machinery doesn’t really exist for this application, but we could build it for them,” he explains. “One of the reasons we are focusing so much of our attention on the food space is that we feel anything that can increase the capacity to produce more food locally is very important.”
Almost every Mechatronic client becomes a repeat customer, Poisson says. “We are helping manufacturers increase capacity while maintaining their workforce at the same level. We help solve labour dependency or labour uncertainty issues. Manufacturers today that use robotics have an opportunity to attract workforce because people want to work in environments with cool technologies and appreciate that the robots can take over mundane repetitive tasks so some workers can be redeployed to areas where they can add more value.”
As these local companies are proving, there is transformative potential in applying advanced technologies in manufacturing. Companies eager to participate in the fourth industrial revolution are going to continue to find ways to harness the power of strategic investments and workforce development to achieve their goals.
