Students studying mechatronics at the Bharti School of Engineering in Sudbury now have a fully equipped lab at their disposal.
The school’s mechatronics, robotics and automation lab has been fully upgraded with new workstations, furnishings, and multimedia equipment.
That’s thanks to a generous donation from HARD-LINE, a Sudbury-based mining supply company, which pledged $250,000 toward Laurentian’s mechatronics program in 2018.
The company said that, as of December, that promise has been fulfilled.
“Working together with Laurentian University is an opportunity we value because it is the students that we invest in today that we will welcome into the workforce tomorrow,” Walter Siggelkow, president of HARD-LINE, said in a release sent out on Jan. 5.
HARD-LINE specializes in automation, teleoperation and remote-control technology in the mining industry. Its signature product, Tele-Op, enables workers to operate heavy underground equipment remotely from the safety of a control centre.
Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field of science and engineering that blends mechanical, electrical, computer and software skills to work with smart technologies, such as robots, automated guided systems, and computer-integrated manufacturing equipment.
Dr. Ramesh Subramanian, director of the Bharti School of Engineering, welcomes HARD-LINE’s contribution.
“Students and faculty are grateful for the support provided by HARD-LINE in Laurentian University’s mechatronics, robotics and automation Lab,” he said in the release.
“HARD-LINE’s investment has enhanced the hands-on experience, in a state-of-the-art facility, that is crucial for educating mechanical and mechatronics engineers in Northern Ontario.”
