Selkirk Technology Access Centre
Solving Your Complex Problems with Innovative Solutions
The STAC enables the development of commercializable products and services and optimization of business processes resulting in decreased costs, increased efficiencies and enhanced productivity for industry clients.
We help you apply new technologies to workflows, prototype new designs, reverse engineer critical parts, find advanced technology solutions and enhance manufacturing processes. STAC is your one stop shop to access the advanced technologies you need to drive business innovation.
The Selkirk Technology Access Centre (STAC), one of 60 NSERC-funded Technology Access Centres (TACs) across Canada, and one of three located in British Columbia. TACs are specialized applied research and development centres affiliated with colleges that have been funded by NSERC under a highly competitive process. More than 100 business representatives were on hand the day that NSERC arrived to assess our application, demonstrating a deep need for this critical and cutting-edge service in our region.
We have you covered from highly specialized expertise to equipment to funding access and design.
- We’ll help you find the funding, expertise and the equipment to solve your problem or realize your vision.
- Need a drone and geospatial expertise? No problem.
- Need to manufacture a prototype with our 3D metal printer? No problem.
- Need to optimize a process or workflow using artificial intelligence? We’ve got you.
Over $2 million in highly specialized equipment for your R&D needs
At the STAC, we collaborate and never compete with local businesses. If you’re an existing business, we’re keen to help you increase efficiencies, decrease your costs and enhance productivity. If you’re a designer or entrepreneur, let us help design and realize your dream. If you’re a worker, student or prospective student wanting next level advanced manufacturing or computing skills, check out our training opportunities.
Highly Specialized Expertise at Your Fingertips
Explore technical expertise and specialized equipment to advance product design and development of commecializable products/services:
- 3D printing (including metal)
- 3D scanning (objects and models)
- Augmented and Virtual Reality
- Metrology
- Business Services
- Advanced computing
- Advanced manufacturing
- Rapid prototyping, including materials research and testing
- Fitness for service testing
- Forensic engineering
- Reverse engineering
- Process optimization (custom equipment and manufacturing workflows)
- Machine learning
- Data science
- Data management
- Big data & analytics
- API development and integration
- Cloud computing
- Software development
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Computer vision
- Robotics
- Electronics
- Experimental design
- Physics
- Climate science
- Customized training
Opportunities for you to leverage unique funding streams
STAC assists entrepreneurs, businesses, local governments and organizations with access to unique funding streams, on top of our fee-for-service opportunities.
We solve problems for companies big and small and we are experts at coming up with new and innovative solutions.
SMARTS
Are you a small company that has a specific need or idea? Are you struggling with creating a product or creating a process? We can help.
Today’s competitive economy is led by companies that innovate and embrace technology. Many businesses recognize the importance of research and development, but don’t have the capacity or expertise they need to make their ideas happen. The Selkirk-SME Applied Research & Technology Solutions (SMARTS) program supports businesses that are small- to medium-sized (less than 500 employees), growth-oriented, and eager to bring innovative products or services to market.
We connect you with applied research expertise in the fields of geospatial technology and digital fabrication. STAC offers applied research support to help businesses develop new or improved products and services.
How it works
Funding is available through our SMARTS program to cover research costs associated with approved small projects (with a maximum total project value of $5,000). Your company is expected to provide a cash contribution totaling 25 percent of the total project budget. The SMARTS program is supported by the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP.).
Interactive Visits
Are you looking to solve a specific business or technical challenge for your business?
Interactive Visits provide clients of the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) with up to 20 hours of access to the equipment, facilities and expertise at STAC.
Your Interactive Visit could include:
- Providing access to cutting-edge technology your company doesn’t have in-house
- Assessing new technologies to improve your productivity
- Guiding your selection of specialized technical equipment
- Assisting the implementation of a new technology
- Providing market and business/competitive intelligence
Featured Projects
3D Terrain model for Ekati Diamond Mine
The Independent Environmental Monitoring Agency (IEMA), which oversees the Ekati Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories, was looking for an effective way to show indigenous and other local communities what the mine site would look like in the future after closure.
STAC provided an interactive portable map application, showcasing the current and future status of the mine. For consultation purposes, STAC built a 3D terrain model of the entire site—which is over 40 kilometres wide—and used a data projector to project imagery, like a caribou migration path, onto the model. This made it more interactive to help facilitate the discussion with people impacted by the mine.
Custom 3D printed parts for UV water treatment system
STAC worked with 9dot Engineering and Aqua Diversities Waterworks in Nelson, BC, to provide a critical plastic fitting for the UV water treatment system that was damaged due to the heat and UV in the system, and the parts were discontinued.
The small rural village these companies were serving would be looking at a very large unplanned capital expense during COVID-19. STAC came to the rescue and 3D-scanned and reverse-engineered the part and then 3D-printed test pieces to ensure proper fit before it was machined. The prototypes fit but were brittle. One of STAC’s researchers (a millwright machinist) reviewed and further improved the design by using a UV-resistant plastic that was precisely CNC-machined. This part was strong and functional. The client was able to use the files they own to work with another local machine shop for larger orders.