Installation of New Large-Component Measurement Machine

It took large-capacity trucks, a massive crane, heavy-lift rigging specialists, dismantled doors and cuts made into the walls, and the end result is UNC Charlotte now has one of the largest coordinate measuring machines in the world.

Hexagon Metrology has loaned a Leitz PMM-F 30-20-16 coordinate measuring machine to UNC Charlotte for four years. The new machine will be a key component in the Siemens Large Manufacturing Solutions Laboratory, a new lab built on the expertise of the Lee College of Engineering’s Center for Precision Metrology and Energy Production and Infrastructure Center.

“We are very excited to partner with Hexagon Metrology to further develop the capabilities of the Siemens Large Manufacturing Solutions Lab,” said Dr. John Ziegert, director of the lab and professor of Mechanical Engineering. “Hexagon’s contribution of the large coordinate measuring machine will greatly enhance the capabilities of the lab, and provide a resource unique in a U.S. academic environment. It will complement and expand existing world-class metrology facilities already existing in the UNC Charlotte Center for Precision Metrology, and allow students and faculty to develop advanced metrology solutions for industry partners involved in the manufacture and assembly of large-scale components and systems.”

The Leitz PMM-F offers outstanding performance for the inspection of medium- and large-sized work pieces and gears. It is used for quality assurance in a variety of industries. With a table load of 8,000 kg, the Leitz PMM can measure components up to 3 x 2 x 1.6 meters in size, with best-in-class accuracy.