MAPLE GROVE, MN-Carl Zeiss Industrial Measuring Technology (IMT) announces that Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. (Ft. Worth, TX) has selected a Zeiss gantry coordinate measuring machine (CMM) to measure subassemblies of the F-35 wings.

The MMZ B Plus system has a measuring range of 5 by 16 by 2.5 meters. Valued at more than $5 million, the order from Lockheed Martin’s aerospace division encompasses the measuring machine, plans for the vibration-stabilized foundation, the climate-controlled lab and the integration of a pallet feed system. At a length of 16 meters, the MMZ B Plus can measure aerodynamic tools, wind canal models, 1:1 modules, aircraft wings and elements of the airframe.

“The challenge was to develop a CMM large enough to fit the oversized, structural parts while maintaining highest accuracy during the inspection process,” says Walter Pettigrew, vice president of sales at Carl Zeiss IMT Corp.

With the MMZ B Plus, Carl Zeiss has built a complete system solution that also offers software compatibility with AIMS, the Advanced Integrated Mathematical System software suite Lockheed is using for F-35 structural parts.