Revolutionizing Para Sport Equipment Through Advanced Manufacturing at CIM-TAC

Published on: April 8, 2025

Empowering Para Athletes Through Advanced Manufacturing Innovation

A significant strength of CIM-TAC lies in its comprehensive array of advanced manufacturing equipment. Home to Alberta's first commercial 3D printer in 2009, the facility now houses a diverse suite of additive manufacturing technologies, such as the Stratasys 450MC FDM, Stratasys J850 Digital Anatomy, EnvisionTEC 8k DLP, Formlabs Fuse1+, a Stratasys Origin Two, and an ExOne Innovent+ binder jet printer. This wide range of capabilities allows CIM-TAC's cross-functional team of experts to provide clients with extensive support in design, simulation, and prototype fabrication.

Collaborating to Create a More Inclusive Future

Currently, CIM-TAC is applying its expertise to a significant national partnership. Collaborating with the Canadian Sport Institute Alberta (CSIAB) and the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), CIM-TAC is engaged in a groundbreaking three-year project titled "Increasing accessibility to specialized parasport equipment across Canada through advanced design and manufacturing." This initiative directly tackles the pressing need for well-fitting, high-performing, and affordable sports equipment for Para athletes across the nation.

Centering Athletes through Human-Centered Design

This collaborative undertaking, supported by funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Alberta Innovates, places advanced digital manufacturing technologies at its centre. Recognizing the obstacles Para athletes often encounter due to the limited availability and high costs of suitable equipment, the project adopts a human-centered design approach, working directly with athletes to gain a thorough understanding of their unique requirements.

Initially concentrating on Para ice hockey, the project leverages 3D printing for the rapid prototyping and testing of athlete-matched equipment, including the potential creation of 3D-printed, athlete-matched, lattice-based cushions for para ice hockey sledges. CIM-TAC's capacity to generate 3D models and fabricate prototypes is essential for the iterative design process, enabling swift adjustments based on athlete feedback, biomechanical data, and safety metrics. Techniques such as statistical shape modelling (SSM), which involves analyzing 3D body scans of athletes, will further facilitate the development of customizable equipment that can be manufactured with greater efficiency. The project aims to progress towards athlete-matching, mass customization, and potentially mass production of optimized parasport equipment.

Accelerating Access and Impact

By prioritizing 3D printing and other advanced digital manufacturing methods, this project offers direct benefits to the parasport community in enhancing access to customized equipment, lowering production costs, accelerating the development timeline, and optimizing performance, comfort and safety. The project will also showcase the potential of 3D printing in specialized applications, by demonstrating the effective application of additive manufacturing in addressing complex needs in the para sport equipment market.

This collaborative effort between CIM-TAC, CSIAB, and the CPC exemplifies the transformative power of advanced digital manufacturing in creating meaningful societal impact.

Canada Makes is proud to support and spotlight members like Red Deer Polytechnic’s CIM-TAC, whose work not only pushes the boundaries of innovation but also creates real, lasting impact in communities across Canada.

Learn more about the Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing – Technology Access Centre (CIM-TAC) at Red Deer Polytechnic here:

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