CAMBRIAN COLLEGE
Concrete support: industry donation strengthens safety at Cambrian College EV Lab

Cambrian College has enhanced safety at its Electric Vehicle (EV) Lab with the help of a contribution from Brown's Concrete in Sudbury.

The company donated more than 3,000 concrete blocks to support the construction of a new secondary containment wall within the Vale EV Lab. The wall acts as a safety barrier whenever the lab's industrial dynamometer is in use for high-speed testing. A dynamometer measures force, torque, or rotational speed of an engine or motor.

Brown's Concrete of Sudbury has donated 3,000 blocks for the construction of a safety wall in the Vale Electric Vehicle (EV) Lab at Cambrian College. Pictured are (left to right): Cambrian R&D student employees Colin McGee Woods, Andrew Williams, Jonathan Macdonald, and Lucas Bain; Dr. Mike Commito, Director, Cambrian R&D; Chris Whitman, Manufacturing Representative, Brown's Concrete.

The new concrete wall provides another layer of protection in the event of a failure of the dynamometer's primary safety barrier.

"We are proud to support Cambrian R&D's EV Lab with the construction of this new safety wall using our product," says Chris Whitman, Manufacturer Representative for Brown's Concrete. "Heavy industry is increasingly turning to electric-powered vehicles, and safety testing of those systems is critical to the adoption of heavy-duty electric vehicles. We're honoured to make a contribution to that process by support Cambrian R&D."

"This project reflects Cambrian's commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards in applied research environments," says Steve Gravel, Manager of the Centre for Smart Mining, housed within Cambrian R&D, the college's applied research division. "The addition of this containment wall strengthens our ability to conduct advanced EV testing with confidence, while protecting students, staff, and researchers."

The Vale EV Lab plays a key role in advancing research and training in electric vehicle systems, supporting industry needs while preparing students for careers in the rapidly evolving clean technology sector.

To learn more about the work of Cambrian R&D, visit https://cambriancollege.ca/rd.