Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, Wichita State University Enter Research Partnership

Metrology solutions developer Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence has formed a technology partnership with Wichita State University (WSU) for research and development.

The company will lease 3000 sq ft of space near the university's 3DExperience Center in the Experiential Engineering Building on WSU’s Innovation Campus. Educators and students will have access to Hexagon software and precision metrology systems for the collection, analysis and active use of measurement data in industrial sectors such as aerospace, automotive, power generation and medical.

The new commitment to WSU is an extension of a five-year partnership with its National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR). NIAR and Hexagon have cooperatively developed an automated scanning solution for customer applications and hosted technology workshops and training events.

“Using Hexagon equipment, we are able to demonstrate to the aerospace industry how fast parts can be inspected and measured to a very high degree of accuracy,” said Brian Brown, director of robotics and automation at NIAR.

"This strategic partnership with NIAR gives Hexagon another research platform to take on complex manufacturing issues and pioneer tech-enabled breakthroughs in the aviation industry,” said Angus Taylor, president and CEO of Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence North America. “The massive product backlog of the aerospace market is driving engineering creativity and the search for more productivity. We intend to remain at the forefront of that trend by forging alliances with dedicated innovators like NIAR, who can push the envelope with our extensive portfolio of manufacturing intelligence solutions."

Hexagon will employ full-time staff at the campus to facilitate research and development and support their local customer base. The company will also introduce an internship program for the midwestern U.S. Students will have access to state-of-the-art industrial metrology software and systems, which will help lead to job placement opportunities in manufacturing. Hexagon is the third global partner to join the Wichita State’s Innovation Campus, following Airbus and Dassault Systemes.

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence is a developer of metrology and manufacturing solutions.