Lockheed Martin Expands Use of Dassault Systèmes Solutions; Upgrades DELMIA Robotics Implementation

Ease of Use, Common Interfaces Between DELMIA and CATIA, and Integrated Third-Party Solutions Provide Significant Efficiency Gains.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich: Dassault Systèmes today announced that Lockheed Martin has migrated its F-35 Lightning II robotic painting workcells to Dassault Systèmes’ DELMIA Robotics. A long-time user of DELMIA manufacturing simulation solutions, Lockheed Martin’s new implementation of DELMIA Robotics has made the company’s manufacturing processes more efficient, leveraging a common interface across its CATIA design authoring and DELMIA digital manufacturing solutions.

Lockheed Martin uses simulations to verify that the robots will reach all the painting positions while avoiding any collisions. Automating the paint and coatings process provides significant time savings, as well as better process control. Additionally, protecting workers from potentially harmful paint fumes is an added benefit of robots. The company had already experienced success with the previous generation of DELMIA Robotics simulation.

Since they are already familiar with the CATIA interface, Lockheed Martin NC programmers easily move into robot support roles, pick up the software and produce programs.

Lockheed Martin currently employs the robotic solution in two different automated paint cells, both configured on moving rail systems. A three-robot cell is dedicated to painting the aircraft exterior and a two-robot cell is configured to handle a variety of F-35 components. Both the physical cell and the robot programming have been designed for flexibility through optimization and verification of the programs in the virtual DELMIA environment so that the company can paint different mixes of components at different times.

Enhancements within the DELMIA Cenit FASTSURF solution make it easier to modify existing robot programs for significant time gains. Previous solutions required extensive rework any time a component design changed. Now with FASTSURF, adapting to a part change can be as simple as plugging a new parameter in the setup strategy. Additionally, this solution allows Lockheed Martin to monitor the thickness of coatings—a critical factor in ensuring that aircraft meet design requirements—through a query option at any point in the application.

“Working with a visionary company such as Lockheed Martin has allowed Cenit to verify the value of our FASTSURF solution,” stated Cenit account manager, Niall Cullen. “Their in-depth experience in Robotic OLP was key in shaping a production-hardened solution with aerospace accuracy.”

“Lockheed Martin was quick to understand the benefits to be gained by having all engineers working with the same user interface paradigm across CATIA and DELMIA solutions,” said Steve Milliren, executive account manager, aerospace industry, DELMIA, Dassault Systèmes. “With the DELMIA Robotics solution, there is a common structure for easy communication and elimination of data translations for improved data integrity.”

In addition to the DELMIA Robotics solution, Lockheed Martin also uses Dassault Systemes Virtual Ergonomics and DPM Assembly solutions.