UOIT creates the perfect storm for international television audience

OSHAWA, ON – Cameras are rolling inside the Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE) at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) as a production crew from the United Kingdom, channel SKY 3D, films part of a groundbreaking documentary on severe weather. The crew is shooting high winds, freezing rain, driving snow as well as simulated earthquake conditions in both 3D and 2D. These segments will be aired on the National Geographic Channel in the United States.

“ACE is an ideal location to film our documentary, because unlike mother nature, severe weather conditions can be created in the climatic wind tunnel exactly when we need them and to our exact specifications,” said Hannah James, producer, Pioneer Productions. “There are few facilities like ACE available in the world and we appreciate the assistance of UOIT and ACE staff in the making of this production.”  

The production crew will be at ACE for a total of four days capturing video and images inside the climatic wind tunnel and the multi-axis shaker table (MAST) chamber.

ACE is the first testing and research centre of its kind in Canada, and in many respects the world. It is wholly owned and operated by UOIT and is located at the university’s north campus location in Oshawa, Ontario. ACE has an area of approximately 16,300 square metres and is divided into two distinct sections, a core research facility and an integrated research and training facility.  

The core research facility is a heavy lab area with five distinctive test chambers:

• Climatic Wind Tunnel – In this chamber wind speeds can exceed 240 kilometres per hour, temperatures range from -40 to +60°C and relative humidity ranges from 5 to 95 per cent. It also has a readily reconfigurable solar array that will replicate the effects of the sun and is hydrogen-capable, allowing for alternative fuels and fuel cell development;

• Climate Chambers (2) – ACE has a large and a small climate chamber that provide exacting conditions of both temperature and humidity. The large climate chamber is a higher feature chamber that includes an input dynamometer coupled with a solar array. Temperatures range from -40°C to +60°C and humidity from 5 to 95 per cent;

• Climatic Four-Poster Shaker – ACE has a drive-on four-poster shaker within a climatic chamber. This vertical axis shaker can provide the motion for simulated drive surfaces and provides suspension and body durability for applications like squeak and rattle. It is also capable of performing severe structural durability and life cycle testing. Temperatures range from -40°C to +60°C and humidity from 5 to 95 per cent; and

• Multi-Axis Simulation Table (MAST) – ACE has a multi-axis shaker table or MAST in a hemi-anechoic (semi-sound-proofed) chamber. The inverted hexapod design allows for products to be tested for structural durability and the detection of noise and vibration in a three-dimensional envelope using six degrees of freedom. 

The integrated research and training facility spans five floors with space dedicated for research, education and training. It has offices, laboratories, conference rooms and common work areas that are available to rent for single-focus or collaborative projects. ACE will foster an environment of collaboration and interaction between industry, researchers and students.

“The presence of a film crew at ACE helps to drive home the fact that the applications of this facility are far broader than automotive,” said John Komar, director, ACE Engineering and Operations. “ACE was designed with automotive development and validation in mind, however we are now getting inquiries from prospective clients in a range of sectors from across North America. The possibilities for groundbreaking research and testing are vast.”

ACE was developed in partnership with UOIT, General Motors of Canada, the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada and the Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education (PACE). The total cost of the facility is approximately $100 million.

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Media contact
Bryan Oliver
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.8668 ext. 2209
bryan.oliver@uoit.ca