F-35 Robotic Coatings Facility Opened

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, Texas, opened a new 82,000-square-foot coatings facility in September that will employ advanced robots to apply precisely measured coatings to components of the F-35. The facility also sets new standards for environmental friendliness. The facility, located on the factory floor near the F-35 assembly area, contains five multipurpose finish rooms and two robotic finish rooms in addition to control and support areas. Both robotic and human workers will use the facility to apply a variety of coatings to a wide array of F-35 parts. The facility will also conserve energy and control emissions during the coatings operation.