I>AG ~. l l)l S A V. ( T. 1I I )S I V iii B I'M [ PRE~SS ITT, DuI>oni, GM give support.... Industry wants CAD-CAM iii region By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff Industries throughout the central part of Durham Region are throwing their support behid CAD-CAM. CAD-CAM stands for computer assisted design and computer assisted manufacture of goods. Earlier this year, Premier William Davis announced that the province would con- struct a CAD-CAM robotics training centre somewhere in Ontario. And Durham Region bas been trying to con- vince the province to select a sitz for the cen- tre somnewhere in Ajax, Whitby or Oshawa. To support Durham's case, Regional Chair- man Gary Herremna gave copies of letters from several industries in the region to Ontario Minister of Industry and Tourism Larry Gross- man at a meeting the two mnen held last week. In these letters, the industries said that they are willing to support and use such a facility, especially if it was located in Durham. This private sector support is being led by General Motors of Canada which has plan- ts and facilities throughout the Oshawa- Whitby area. According to D.J. An- Pop People Pop BROWN'S FOODMASTER CASE OF 12 Vr,,BOULES $4 99 & dep CASE 0F 24 10Ooz. BOTTLES $4.49 & 1' BROOKLIN 655-4521 8:30 amn to 6 pin Except Thurs. & Frn. Nights til 9 pi ASSORI ED r, AVORS derson, superintendent of tool and die for G.M., "ICAD-CAM technology offers tremendous potential for increased productivity and compe- titiveneas." "'These benefits can- not be fully realized without the proper prac- tical application in in- dustry." ,Anderson also said that there are three "Igood" reasons why the centre should be located in Durham. They are: several in- dustries are extensively involved in the CAD- CAM robotics area in- çluding GM and that "Durham is regarded as a developing region and as such a CAD-CAM centre would help at- tract high technology industries to this area. " The final reason An- derson gave was that Durham College of Ap- plied Arts and Technology is starting up education programs that offer comprehen- sive training in the field. "I fully support your efforts to encourage the location of the proposed centre in the Durham Region ..... he con- cluded. Support for the centre has also corne from two major Whitby industries - ITT Cannon Electric and Du Pont Canada. "A CAD-CAM cen- tre. .... would be of great interest to us," was the comment of Albert Schwab, the manufac- turing manager of IT'J.' Cannon. "We would support your proposi- tion to Queen's Park to establish such a centre in the Durham Rlegion. " While they are not heavily involved in the field at this time, Du Pont is interested in seeing the centre esta- blished in Durham, "With respect to the proposed CAD-CAM centre, Du Pont Whitby Works, although not heavily involved in computer assisted manufacturing, is gradually increasing their involvement with this area," E.U. Bruns, project superintendent of the Whitby Works said. "Having a CAD-CAM development and testing facility to assist in identifying economic opportunities for CAM and to develop the necessary hardware and softwvare for vizable tîme in the fall