UBC STAR Collaboration Facility (IP1 1025)

The Collaboration Facility houses UBC STAR’s 3D scanning and printing services and includes a collaborative research space for researchers and entrepreneurs to test their concepts and validate their ideas.

Equipment includes:

  • Connex500 multi-material, high-resolution 3D printer capable of producing large-scale models with fine detail for up to 90 digital materials including: engineering plastics, transparent shades and patterns, rigid opaque shades, rubber-like materials, and polypropylene with improved thermal resistance
  • Cintiq tablets for use in manufacturing, materials prototypes, assistive and protective devices
  • Wilson VH3100 Automatic Vickers hardness tester
  • Mark Forged Mark Two Nylon/carbon fibre 3d printer
  • Pantheon HS3 – The HS3, designed and produced by UBC alumni, offers very high-speed, industrial-grade flexible manufacturing. Its incredibly fast cycle times are matched by industry-leading precision and beautiful surface finishes
  • Raise3D Pro 3 Plus – The Pro3 Plus is an production-quality dual-extruder 3D printer with a user-friendly interface accelerating universal learning how to get the most out of the machine
  • Ultimaker S5 Pro – The S5 Pro is a high-resolution 3D printer with two nozzles in the print head for multi-material printing. The printer is open source making it an ideal candidate for skunk work projects and 3D twinning opportunities across multiple sectors, governments, and even nations
  • 3D CAD-design software workstations (SOLIDWORKS)
  • Thermal camera and ground-penetrating radar
  • Soldering equipment and inspection microscope
  • Handyscan Black Elite – The Creaform BLACK Series is a high-end, portable 3D scanner that is top of the line and easy to use

UBC STAR Impact Research Facility (SIRF)

This custom designed ballistic and blast simulation facility is the only one of its kind in Canada. It supports university-industry research collaborations in testing ballistic and blast resistant armour, ceramic and other composite materials, occupant protection components of a vehicle, helmets and other protective gear.  It enables us to conduct evaluations of the protection performance of body armour and helmets using test methods specified by the US National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the UK’s Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB).

Equipment includes:

  • A blast simulator that studies the physical effects of injuries sustained during a blast event, tests parameters and fixtures to reduce the incidence of these injuries and vehicle configurations to absorb or reduce the effects of a blast
  • A research range for testing protective equipment and clothing against ballistic threats
  • A high-speed, high-impact (HSHI) simulation rig capable of accelerating a vertically moving disc of 30 cm in diameter to a velocity in excess of 15m/s in less than 10ms and used to simulate the impact force of an IED exploding under a vehicle, for example
  • Blunt Trauma Torso Rig (BTTR) and Ballistic Load Sensing Headform (BLSH) used to evaluate injury potential and impact severity from behind armour blunt trauma and the protection performance and deformation testing of helmets