Canada’s high-mix, low-volume (HMLV) manufacturing sector is at a critical inflection point. For the sector to remain domestically and internationally competitive, it must adopt more agile, intelligent, and cost-effective automation strategies. To support this effort, an Automation for Discrete Manufacturers (ADM) Consortium is being formed to address this national need directly.
The first collaborative project, backed by Price Industries, Mode40, Innovair Automation, Eigen Innovations, Durham College, University of Manitoba, and the National Research Council, is to develop and demonstrate an AI-enabled standardized robotic work cell. The goal is to provide Canadian discrete manufacturers with a commercial-ready, flexible and scalable automated solution that includes a suite of advanced, ready-to-integrate technologies:
AI-driven vision systems for real-time quality control
Advanced welding technologies for precision and efficiency
Integrated material handling for seamless workflow
Environmental fume management for improved workplace safety
Agentic-AI MES platform for real-time decision-making, orchestration, and continuous improvement
Lights-out manufacturing capabilities for unattended operation
Future ADM consortium members will benefit significantly from a ready-made innovation ecosystem, allowing them to join an established framework where they can test, refine, and scale their technologies. The projects delivered will reduce barriers to market entry, accelerate technology adoption, and foster cross-industry collaboration, ultimately strengthening Canada’s global competitiveness in advanced manufacturing.
