Montréal - Aerospace

Montréal's aerospace technology cluster — one of the most vibrant anywhere in the world — ships more than $10 billion of product a year. The cluster's business activities account for 95 percent of Quebec's astonishing success in the aerospace industry and 55 percent of Canada's total activity in this lucrative sector. The industry comprises roughly 170 private companies and employs more than 35,000 people.

Research facilities of the NRC Aerospace Manufacturing Centre.

Delivering on local needs

For many years,NRC enhanced the Montréal cluster's research capacity through the NRC Institute for Aerospace Research, located in Ottawa. After extensive consultation with stakeholders,NRC determined it could best serve the cluster's evolving needs by building a new research facility in Montréal — the worldclass NRC Aerospace Manufacturing Technology Centre, situated on the grounds of the Université de Montréal.

		NRC'S MAJOR INDUSTRIAL COLLABORATORS
		Bombardier Aerospace
		Bell Helicopter Textron Canada
		CAE Electronics
		Canadian Marconi
		General Electric Canada
		Héroux Devtek
		Messier Dowty
		Pratt and Whitney
		Rolls-Royce Canada
		Aerospace Association

Maintaining its global edge

NRC has enhanced Montréal's competitive position at the world forefront of aerospace technology. But to protect its standing as a world-class R&D hub, the Canadian aerospace industry must continually maintain and upgrade its innovative capacity. To address this emerging need, NRC helps develop next-generation manufacturing based on critical industry requirements.

To identify specific research thrusts for its Centre, NRC led a comprehensive round of strategic sessions with the local aerospace community, including the cluster's association of SMEs, the Quebec Aerospace Association. Those consultations led to several key areas of collaborative R&D:

• advanced machining technologies for aerospace
• new manufacturing and repair technologies for engine components
• advanced composites manufacturing processes for airframe components
• application of automation and robotics in aircraft assembly and surface treatments

Vibration assisted drilling of composites.

Building community partnerships

To reinforce linkages with the cluster's other leading research organizations, NRC participates actively in the Consortium for Aerospace Research and Innovation in Quebec (CRIAQ).NRC's input has enabled local universities to strengthen their business cases to attract funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

		COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
		1996 — Industry Canada initiates Aerospace Technology Roadmap in collaboration with NRC and others
		1998 — NRC proposes construction of NRC Aerospace Manufacturing Technology Centre
		2001 — NRC secures funding for technology centre
		2003 — Technology Centre begins partnering with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), SMEs and R&D organizations
		2004 — Technology Centre opens its doors

State-of-the-art facility

Originally proposed as an immediate response to a 1996 Aerospace Technology Roadmap, and spurred by further NRC research into cluster priorities, the new NRC Aerospace Manufacturing Technology Centre can accommodate 100 research staff and guest workers from around the world. Co-financed by NRC and Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, the facility's research priority is to develop processes that deliver significant cost savings and high-quality, reliable aerospace products. The facility serves as a hub for Montréal's vibrant aerospace cluster enabling researchers from public and private sectors to collaborate and innovate — and keep Canada at the forefront of aerospace manufacturing technologies worldwide.

Transforming technology into business

NRC offers strategic services to businesses that want to take their innovations to market — easing the transition from small start-up company to bona fide industrial presence.

Linear friction welding equipment.

Assisting with industrial research

The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program supports smalland medium-sized companies as they commercialize groundbreaking technologies and ingenious business ideas. The program has assisted 10 emerging aerospace companies in Montréal with invaluable technical and business support.

Best available science and technology literature

NRC is a world leader in electronic publishing, and Canada's largest and best resource for scientific, technical and medical information. NRC's information specialists are highly active in Montréal's Aerospace technology cluster, offering clients access to the same top-notch document-delivery services NRC scientists enjoy. Furthermore,NRC offers a range of fee-based services to industry researchers, including access to hundreds of relevant databases and thousands of scientific and technical journals. In 2005 alone, information specialists conducted nearly 800 information searches for aerospace cluster clients.

Part made using liquid composite moulding.

Centre of excellence

Montréal is home to the fourth-largest aerospace cluster in North America. In fact, it is one of the world's few metropolitan areas that produces every one of the thousands of components necessary to build an aircraft. In addition to this remarkable production capacity, the Montréal cluster is ranked first in North America for overall business operating cost performance — a powerful incentive for leading-edge aerospace companies to make Montréal their home.

		NRC'S CLUSTER PARTNERS
		Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
		Quebec Aerospace Association
		Consortium for Aerospace Research and Innovation in Quebec (CRIAQ)
		Local universities (Université de Montréal, École polytechnique, McGill University, École de technologie supérieure, Concordia University)
		Canada Foundation for Innovation

Composite helicopter rib cord with vacuum-assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM).

"Montréal's aerospace cluster has the scale, breadth, and excellence to compete against the top aircraft manufacturing centres in the world.With the addition of the new NRC Aerospace Manufacturing Technology Centre, the Montréal cluster now has a well-equipped focal point for the adoption of cutting-edge fabrication technologies. NRC's presence further fortifies Montréal's competitive edge as the location of choice for aerospace industrial innovation."

Sue Dabrowski, Executive Director, Quebec Aerospace Association

http://iar-ira.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca