Hexagon Metrology Division to Create PC-DMIS™ Direct CAD™ Interface for Lockheed Martin’s AIMS Quality Program for JSF Project

June 2005

Wilcox Associates Inc, a Hexagon Metrology company and the world’s leading supplier of dimensional measurement software for coordinate measuring machines, is creating an interface to communicate between the PC-DMIS™ Geometric measurement software and the AIMS Metrology System used by Lockheed Martin on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project.

Lockheed Martin is utilizing the Advanced Integrated Mathematical System (AIMS) software suite developed by Boeing and Metronor.  AIMS Metrology suite comprises the software components of a closed-loop process for defining inspection, measurement and assembly plans, measuring the quality of manufactured parts per defined plans, storing the measurement results and generating process capability charts and graphs from the stored results.  This closed-loop system makes it possible for a variety of suppliers to insure quality manufactured parts are delivered to Lockheed ready for assembly.

Recognizing the critical value to Lockheed’s manufacturing process for supplier’s to link their inspection results, Hexagon has worked closely with Lockheed personnel to develop an affordable alternative to current translation systems.

“PC-DMIS is the most popular coordinate measuring machine (CMM) software in the world and the leader in CAD based inspection technology", stated Ken Woodbine, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Wilcox Associates. "With over 20,000 active seats in place, PC-DMIS has become the standard for CMM Measurement software in virtually all industries. A number of key Lockheed suppliers on the F-35 program are using PC-DMIS, so the creation of the AIMS Direct CAD™ Interface was inevitable." 

“PC-DMIS has already pioneered the direct link -- without translation -- to all major CAD systems with the Direct CAD™ Interface technology, Woodbine added.  “Creating a bi-directional DCI link to the AIMS database is a natural progression.  It will allow Lockheed to maximize their investment in the AIMS solution by tightly integrating any inspection device capable of running PC-DMIS.  With this solution, PC-DMIS will interface with the AIMS CAD geometry and import the AIMS inspection plans, automatically creating part inspection programs and producing dimensional results.”

“Lockheed is working with a global supply network on the F-35 Program, stated Joe Pritchett, Quality Engineer with Lockheed. “AIMS makes it possible to reliably communicate with our suppliers on a secure basis to insure incoming materials meet our demanding assembly standards.”

Pritchett continued, “We are excited and encouraged to see Hexagon & Wilcox Associates take this important step to provide many of our key suppliers an affordable means to communicate with our AIMS System.  We look forward to implementing the PC-DMIS-AIMS DCI solution in our own operations as well.”

Wilcox Associates Inc. is a division of Hexagon Metrology North America, part of the Metrology business group of Hexagon AB, a publicly-held multinational manufacturing and engineering company.  Sales in 2004 exceeded $1.2 billion.  More information can be found at www.hexagon.se.

Media Contact: