FedNor invests in snag-removing robot – by Ben Leeson (Sudbury Star – March 5, 2014)

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

Penguin Automated Systems got a big shot in the robotic arm this week. The Greater Sudbury firm received $1 million from the federal government, via FedNor, to develop and commercialize its new Hang-up Assessment and Removal Robotic System, designed for use in the mining industry both here and abroad.

Greg Rickford, minister of state for science and technology and for FedNor, announced the funding on Monday, much to the delight of Greg Baiden, chief executive at Penguin ASI.

“The funding is really helpful,” said Baiden, reached on Tuesday. “The timing is really great for our business. It’s going to help us create a new product that is in need around the world today, so it’s really quite something.”

Penguin’s remote-controlled hangup assessment and removal system is designed to address safety hazards in managing rock hangups, as the robot will be able to enter confined spaces, measure, drill and load explosives for remote detonation.

“One of the most difficult things to do in a mine is to deal with problems of rock hangups,” Baiden said. “Everybody deals with them with the maximum amount of safety they can, but there’s always some risk associated with it.

By using robots to do that function, you can minimize the risk and improve safety.

“It’s not a problem unique to Sudbury or to any part of the world. It happens everywhere. By being able to work on this project, we know it’s going to be needed all over the world.”

It will also create jobs here at home. Penguin ASI plans to hire 30 engineers and technical workers during the development stage and, in the long term, to create up to 20 manufacturing jobs in the city.

“It’s really good for our business, because it helps to get the overall project put forward,” Baiden said. “As we move forward and get the equipment and personnel in place, it helps our business grow.

“In the long term, it’s really a loan. We get it and we can invest it in the business and as we begin to manufacture the units that are going to be sold, it allows us to create the jobs and the equipment that we want to create for markets around the world.”

Doing all of that in Sudbury, he said, makes it more exciting.

“We’ve got lots of good young people who now get to stay in the city and work on these kinds of jobs that are out there,” Baiden said. “Penguin is a head office. We make the decisions here, so we’re trying to get this kind of thing off the ground and create what we need to create to get young people staying and to grow the city.”

For the original version of this article, click here: http://www.thesudburystar.com/2014/03/04/fednor-invests-in-snag-removing-robot