NAIT Shell Manufacturing Centre

A wide range of manufacturing businesses seeking productivity improvements can benefit from NAIT's Manufacturing Solutions services. If your business is looking to cut costs through process innovation, or increase profitability by improving or developing new technological capabilities, talk to us.

Manufacturing Solutions has a dedicated team of technical staff. In addition, we are resourceful, with ability to access experts from both within NAIT and outside to deliver on our projects. NAIT's pool of practical faculty and staff are the greatest resource the Centre has to offer. They can offer unbiased, vendor-neutral solutions and work with you to develop innovative products or processes you need for your growing business.

Examples of recent or ongoing projects

A substantial number of our projects are in support of small and medium enterprises.

• rapid development of prototypes for biomedical devices
• development of an ergonomic chair
• radio frequency identification tagging to track files
• radio-frequency ID applications in cold chain monitoring
• use of our metrology and inspection labs to meet testing and calibration needs
• development of environmentally-friendly engineered polymeric materials
• development of mechanical prototype for oil field applications
• finite element analysis of a new picture-frame hanging device
• design of a new siren
• prototype of a golf ball washer
• prototype of a rotating logo for Help TV
• rotating logo souvenirs
• fabrication of rain barrel lid prototype
• prototypes for automated building panel construction
• design of a cord-saver

Responding to Industry Needs

The Shell Manufacturing Centre was developed in response to requests from Alberta’s manufacturing industry for ways to reduce operational costs, improve productivity and enhance competitiveness. The most acute need is in the metal fabrication industries, vital partners in oil and gas related production in Alberta. As a result, many of the Centre’s labs and much of the equipment are designed specifically for that sector.

Though Alberta has a strong manufacturing sector, it trails other provinces in annual growth of both labour and capital productivity. Advanced technology can provide solutions to reverse that trend and address Alberta’s chronic labour shortages.

At the NAIT Shell Manufacturing Centre, we not only provide technology training for the next generation of skilled workers and their managers, we also offer lab facilities and specialized support for developing and testing new technologies. Located at NAIT’s main campus in Edmonton, the Centre offers a wide variety of resources under one roof.