Innovation Profile: McMaster Steel Research Centre and ArcelorMittal Dofasco
McMaster University's Steel Research Centre is located in Hamilton, Ontario - Canada's steel capital. Led by industry heavyweights such as ArcelorMittal Dofasco and the combined force of McMaster's Materials Science, Chemical and Mechanical Engineering departments, the centre is charting the future of steel innovation. Read full profile below.
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Dr Gord Irons | Ian O'Reilly R&D General Manager ArcelorMittal Dofasco | Don Pether Former CEO Dofasco Canada |
Kevin Graham |
The Future of Steel Innovation
The McMaster Steel Research Centre is located in Hamilton, Ontario - Canada's steel capital. Led by industry heavyweights such as ArcelorMittal Dofasco and the combined force of McMaster's Materials Science, Chemical and Mechanical Engineering departments, the centre is charting the future of steel innovation
"One of the things that we do differently in our steel research centre is to develop projects collaboratively with our member companies," says Dr Gord Irons, Director of the Steel Research Centre. "We are a global centre with members from all over the world."
Conducting some of today's most forward-thinking and industrially-relevant research, the centre's mission is threefold: conduct research into all aspects of steel-making; develop high quality talent; and provide continuing education for steel industry employees from around the world.
"Our relationship with McMaster and the Steel Research Centre is more important now than it's ever been," says Ian O'Reilly, R&D General Manager at ArcelorMittal Dofasco. "There are a lot of questions about how we can be involved in longer term breakthrough research."
Hamilton is home to steel industry leaders including the world's number one steel company, ArcelorMittal, and US Steel, the largest integrated steel producer in the United States. With close proximity to major US markets, Hamilton is ideally located in the heart of North America's most important automotive and vehicle production region. Producing every sixth vehicle built in North America, Ontario boasts seven of the world's largest vehicle manufacturers including Toyota's only Lexus plant outside of Japan.
"What's happening in the automotive industry is the drive to make lighter, safer vehicles," says Ian O'Reilly. "The automation of our steel making shop contributes to improving our chemistry control and delivering the consistent, high quality product that is a requirement in the automotive business."
Increasing plant productivity through automation is the mandate of McMaster Scientist Kevin Graham's research. "My focus is on developing sensors and mathematical models to improve one aspect of the refining operation," says Kevin Graham. "What I enjoy most about this research is that it is so applied. I am able to be in the plant and get my hands dirty."
For Dr Irons, the prospects for Canada's steel industry are promising. Some McMaster scientists are researching innovative, more sustainable ways of producing steel to reduce its carbon footprint while others are using new technologies such as x-ray cinematography and electric arc furnaces to advance the field.
The recent announcement of the relocation of the Government of Canada's CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory and its 100 top researchers from Ottawa to the new McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton is a clear endorsement of the research and industrial leadership of this advanced manufacturing cluster.
"The picture is very good for steel research in Canada. The people that we produce will ensure that the Canadian steel industry will remain a vibrant and vital part of the large companies that now dominate the industry," says Dr Irons.
Don Pether, former CEO of Dofasco Canada, believes it is the convergence of the region's world-class steel and auto industries, its outstanding academic networks and supportive governments that makes the Toronto Region unique. "Toronto is one of the four North American economic powerhouses. It's extremely important to recognize this is probably the only place in Canada that has the confluence of auto and steel and the support of business, industry and all levels of government," says Don Pether.
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