Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Mike Hardie has responsibility for what may be one of the most challenging aspects building vehicles: Quality. Specifically, he develops the quality plan to drive quality processes and discipline throughout the design and production of Ford vehicles.
Join the live chat here on Friday, October 30, at 11:30 a.m. EST to see what Hardie has to say about quality, and what the team is doing to protect and improve quality at Ford.
During his career at Ford, Mike has held many positions in problem solving, reliability engineering and statistical applications. Prior to working at Ford, Mike was in the aerospace business, developing aircraft simulation systems for military programs.
Hardie, a native of Salem, Oregon, holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, and a masters degree in Engineering Management from the University of Michigan.
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Monday, June 8th, 2009
New series of fact sheets demonstrate Ford’s achievements in quality.
Ford has recently launched an extensive series of fact sheets, aimed at documenting the strides Ford has made in designing, building and delivering quality vehicles. In fact, independent research from the 2009 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) survey shows that Ford’s quality surpasses Honda and is on par with Toyota.
The fact sheets reveal that Ford continues to be recognized for its quality gains. With 12 Ford Quality fact sheets in all, here are just a few of the highlights:
Designing Quality
- Customer insights – A Ford research team identifies, defines and priorities customer needs to deliver customer-driven value in the form of desirable new colors, intricate stitching on seat cushions and other luxurious details that connote quality. Ford also uses “haptics” –the science of measuring how customers sense quality through touch – to determine optimum comfort levels.
- Virtual design – Industry-exclusive tools allow Ford to quickly add various vehicle models into an existing facility, as well as evaluate tooling and product interfaces before costly installations are made on the plant floor. The result? Ford’s development time is now eight to 14 months faster than it was as recently as 2004. Other virtual technologies such as two virtual employees, nicknamed “Jack and Jill” provide data to predict and eliminate movements and fatigue concerns for workers, reducing manufacturing issues before prototypes are built.
Building Quality
- Error-proof manufacturing – Computerized Direct Current (CDC) electric hand tools, affectionately known as “screwdrivers with brains,” tell operators whether all nuts and bolts are screwed into the vehicle at the right torque in precisely the right way.
- Electrical system process checks – Ford’s end-of-line trials and current- based testing are major components of the pre-delivery process and have made Ford’s electrical systems the best among competitors.
- Safety and security – Ford builds every vehicle with a focus not just on surviving crashes but avoiding them in the first place, which is why Ford is a consistent safety leader, earning five-star ratings.
Delivering Quality
- Seat comfort – In addition to passing Ford’s industry-leading safety tests, Ford is committed to vehicle comfort. Case in point, Ford’s new Multi-Contour Seating with Active Motion™, available in the 2010 Taurus, gives the driver and front seat passenger a subtle massage designed to reduce fatigue. Seven inflatable bladders in each of the seats provide 6-way lumbar support, lumbar massage with a gently rolling pattern and “active motion” of the seat cushion.
- Interior quietness – In four years, Ford’s wind noise rating has risen to best in class, according to GQRS. Ford achieved this due to the efforts of a manufacturing/product development team focused on closure systems.
- Paint pioneers – Ford is pioneering new technologies, including an environmentally friendly anti-corrosion system that cuts paint shop water use nearly in half and reduces sludge production by 90 percent, as well as a three-part wet application process that reduces CO2 emissions by 15 percent. Ford leads the industry with fewer paint chips and scratches and better long-term durability, according to GQRS.
Download Ford Quality Fact Sheets
Flexible Manufacturing (.pdf)
Lean Product Development (.pdf)
Multi-Contour Seats (.pdf)
Quality: Beauty from the Outside In (.pdf)
Quality: Coating, Color and Appearance Say A Lot About Your Car – And You (.pdf)
Quality: Listening to Customers Creates the Voice of the Vehicle
Quality: Predicting the Future (Without a Crystal Ball) (.pdf)
Quality: Seeing Form and Function in a New Light (.pdf)
Quality: Taurus – More Than Just a Pretty Face (.pdf)
Quality: The Touching Tale of Haptics
Quality: Your Single Greatest Touch Point is Behind You
Quotes
“We want our customers to be thrilled with the paint on their vehicle from the day they drive it off the lot to the next month, the next year and far beyond. We know they like to make a statement with their vehicles, and an appealing, durable and lasting paint finish helps deliver that.” - Tim Weingartz, Ford Paint Materials Manager
“Understanding what customers will want and need tomorrow – or even next year – isn’t enough. We have to anticipate needs and desires farther out, so we can deliver to our customers in the best ways possible.” - Sheryl Connelly, Ford’s Global Trend Manager
“We know what quality sounds like because customers have told us. They’ve identified the difference between a ‘plasticky’ sound versus one that is solid and secure. We know the metrics of each, and we design to create those sounds customer prefer.” - Mark Vojtisek, Ford Manager of Vehicle integration
Tags: 2010 Taurus, Ford, Ford Motor Company, Ford Quality, Global Quality Research System, GQRS, Multi-Contour Seating with Active Motion, paint quality, smart screwdrivers, virtual manufacturing
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Friday, April 17th, 2009
RDA survey shows Ford outperformed Honda in initial quality and improved upon its previous customer satisfaction scores.
Ford’s quality performance efforts are paying off; the latest customer satisfaction survey reports that in initial quality –a vehicle’s performance during the first three months of use– Ford’s 5 percent increase over its last scores has allowed it to surpass Honda and statistically tie at the top with Toyota.
Specifically, the study shows Ford’s domestic brands with a combined average of 1,228 TGW per 1,000 vehicles during the first three months of ownership, besting the 1,422 TGW level for Honda and statistically equivalent to the 1,150 TGW level of Toyota.
Pushing up customer satisfaction two points to 79 percent, Ford's domestic brands have tied the top place finishers of Toyota and Honda for overall customer satisfaction.
The following models are segment leaders:
- Ford Mustang – TGW and satisfaction for sports car
- Ford Taurus – TGW for large car
- Ford Taurus X – TGW leader for crossover utility
- Mercury Milan – TGW for midsize car
- Ford Ranger – TGW leader for compact pickup
The 2009 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS), a survey conducted for Ford by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., measures 2009 model year vehicle initial quality in two categories: by the number of things-gone-wrong and customer satisfaction with overall vehicle quality.
Quotes
“We are energized by the continuous improvement we are seeing on both initial vehicle quality and customer satisfaction,” said Fowler. “This survey validates the hard work and dedication to quality from Ford employees, suppliers and dealers. We will keep the momentum going as we strive to become the clear global quality leader.”
“Ford's commitment to quality is really paying off, as they continue to rival Honda and Toyota on both vehicle satisfaction and quality.”
- Donald Pietrowski, president, RDA Group
Tags: Ford Mustang, Ford Quality, Ford Ranger, Ford Taurus, Ford Taurus X, Global Quality Research System, GQRS, Mercury Milan, TGW
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Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008
Big Ideas and Smart Solutions Lead to Outstanding Results
Innovation is the driving force behind Ford’s soaring quality performance. Virtual tools help improve ergonomics and ensure every part fits properly in a vehicle long before it is ever built. And, by improving our assembly process and taking durability testing to the extreme, Ford ensures its vehicles are built to last. In fact, Ford has more trucks on the road with 250,000 miles than any other brand.(1)
Some quality highlights include:
- Ford has more Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s “Top Safety Pick” awards and government five-star safety-rated vehicles than any other automaker.
- In June, the Ford Focus was recognized as the most improved vehicle in the industry’s top study measuring customer-pleasing design, driving experience and vehicle performance. (J.D. Power and Associates’ 2008 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study)
- Ford Motor Company’s surging domestic quality is now equal to the best in the industry for the 2008 model year, according to the latest U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) study.
1. Based on vehicle registration data and latest odometer readings available to R. L. Polk & co. for 1192 and newer model year full-size pickups still on the road in the U.S. as of 4/1/08.
Tags: durability, Ford Quality, GQRS, JD Power
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Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant employees celebrate the production of the new Ford F-150.
The new 2009 Ford F-150 delivers the most capability in the full-size pickup market with unsurpassed fuel economy. On sale later this month, the new F-150 is also the best value with a starting price of $21,320 for Ford’s workhorse, the XL Regular Cab.
Ford invested $110 million in Kansas City Assembly Plant for new tooling and equipment to build the 2009 F-150, which offers consumers the most cab styles, box options and trim levels. The Kansas City Assembly Plant upgrades include 24 new clearcoat robots for flexible automation as well as 65 new error-proofing devices to ensure quality is built into every new F-150.
Numerous engineering innovations have enabled the 2009 F-150 to offer fuel economy that has improved an average of 8 percent across the entire lineup. The fuel economy gains reach as high as 12 percent versus the prior model year on F-150 models equipped with the high-volume 3-valve, 5.4-liter V-8 engine. With a class-leading towing capability of 11,300 pounds and hauling capacity of 3,030 pounds, the Ford F-150 delivers a combination no other competitor can match.
Quotes
“F-150 has a lot of competitors, but no competition. Ford is the truck leader and core F-150 truck buyers expect and demand the best truck on the market. Ford’s quality is on par with the best in the industry and the team at Kansas City Assembly Plant is delivering a truck that is ‘Built Ford Tough’ with an unrelenting focus on quality and craftsmanship.”
- Joe Hinrichs, Ford Motor Company Group Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs
Tags: 2009 Ford F-150, Ford Quality, fuel economy, Kansas City Assembly Plant
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Friday, June 27th, 2008
Quality Operating System Coordinators ensure that Ford accelerates quality.
Several of Ford’s powertrain plant employees received Six Sigma Black Belt training under a new program that formalizes the Quality Operating System Coordinator (QOSC) position. The positions, which give UAW members control over quality, were first introduced in the early 2000s as a one-year experiment, but quickly became an integral part of quality management.
The QOSCs finished their Black Belt coursework and will take the mandatory tests to achieve the prestigious Six Sigma Black Belt certification, with the goal of having at least two Black Belts per plant. The number of QOSCs per plant varies depending upon size, product and volume, but on average there are six per plant.
The QOSCs devote 100 percent of their workday to monitoring quality process and procedure adherence and cannot be pulled from their job to replace an absent employee on the line. They ensure that every employee at every station understands precisely what they need to do and how to do it.
Since the introduction of QOSCs, Ford’s rating in initial and long-term quality surveys has seen an upward trend. Ford’s brand went up by eight points over last year, beating the industry seven-point rate of improvement, according to J.D. Powers and Associate’s Initial Quality Study. Shortly thereafter, the Global Quality Research System durability study noted that Ford brand improved at a rate of 3 percent verses the industry average of 1 percent.
Tags: Ford Quality, J.D. Powers and Associate, quality operating system coordinators, vehicle quality assurance
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Friday, June 27th, 2008
The popular Ford Focus bests industry segment average as most improved model.
A top industry study named Ford Focus the most improved model in the industry. The 2008 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study by J.D. Power and Associates showed that Focus gained 88 index points over last year.
With the biggest improvement score in the industry, Focus performed better across all categories with significant improvements in the areas of fuel economy, audio/entertainment/navigation, interior styling and exterior styling.
Earning a 36-index point improvement was the Ford Escape, which put the strong seller in the top 10 of most improved vehicles in the industry. Five Ford Motor Company vehicles received second or third honors in their segments:
- Ford Explorer Sport Trac, 2nd place in Midsize Pickup segment
- Mazda CX7, 2nd place in Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle (MAV) segment
- Mazda CX9, 2nd place in Midsize MAV segment
- Ford Focus, 3rd place in Compact Car segment
- Lincoln Navigator, 3rd place in Large Premium MAV segment
Overall, Ford moved up five positions to 22nd, with a 14-point improvement. Lincoln checked in at 12th place and Mercury placed 29th, improving by 12 index points.
Tags: Ford Escape, Ford Focus, Ford Quality, J.D. Power and Associates, Lincoln Navigator, Mazda CX7, Mazda CX9, Mercury, vehicle quality assurance
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Friday, June 6th, 2008
Ford brand quality improves at a rate faster than the industry average.
Year after year, Ford continues to make significant quality gains. According to the latest third-party study by J.D. Power and Associates, Ford’s brand vehicles increased in quality faster than the industry average.
Continuing its five-year upward trend and beating the industry average seven-point rate of improvement, Ford brand improved by eight points over last year’s study. Mercury improved by four points over last year, and the Lincoln brand exceeded the industry average. The Mazda brand improved the most, jumping 36 points from the 2007 study.
The Ford Motor Company received 10 vehicle honors, including three vehicles that scored highest rankings in their respective segments. They are:
- Lincoln Navigator, large premium multi-activity vehicle segment
- Ford E-Series, van segment
- Mazda MX5 Miata, compact sporty car segment
The 2008 Initial Quality Study (IQS) by J.D. Power and Associates is based on responses from 81,500 new 2008 model-year vehicle owners after having driven their vehicles for three months.
Tags: Ford E-Series, Ford Quality, J.D. Power and Associates, Lincoln Navigator, Mazda MX5 Miata, Mercury, quality testing, vehicle quality assurance
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Friday, May 30th, 2008
Ford upgrades its test high-speed track using an environmentally friendly approach.
When the 52-year old high-speed test track at Ford’s Michigan Proving Ground undergoes its $13 million reconstruction, it will prevent 130,000 tons of debris from going to local landfills by reusing almost every bit of existing material.
The track is critical to Fords’ quality assurance process as it is used for a wide range of vehicle quality testing and handling in real-world conditions. Because green construction recycles and reuses materials promptly instead of trucking in new materials each day, construction time is slashed. In fact, the track is expected to re-open in autumn.
To make the overhaul as green as possible, an onsite crusher will process the old asphalt and concrete track into a recycled aggregate usable for road construction. After improvements are made to increase the cross-slope of the track to enhance the existing water drainage system, the recycled aggregate pavement (RAP) will be placed eight inches thick, compacted and covered with four layers of asphalt.
The bottom two layers will use 40 percent RAP, the maximum allowed under Michigan Department of Transport. The third layer incorporates 25 percent RAP and the final layer is new mix for optimal quality control.
Additionally, the 20,420 linear foot guardrail will be reinstalled where possible, unusable steel beams will be sent to a recycling center and wood posts are mulched.
Tags: Environmentally friendly construction, Ford Quality, Ford’s Michigan Proving Ground, global energy resources, green automotive manufacturing, sustainable resources
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Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
"Smart screwdrivers" spot quality issues on the line at Ford plants.
Ford's screwdriver with a brain - a direct-current tool that fastens nuts and bolts and stops the line if the job isn't done properly.
Between 200 and 400 computerized direct-current (DC) electric hand tools, affectionately called “screwdrivers with brains” by Ford employees, were installed in each Ford assembly plant over the last several years as an investment in quality. These new hand tools are currently in use at all Ford assembly plants in North America. The last installation was made at Wayne Assembly Plant in time for the launch of the 2008 Ford Focus.
Where a “smart screwdriver” differs from traditional assembly line air-driven guns is in its ability to tell the operator if all of the nut bolts are screwed into the vehicle the right way and at the exactly the right torque. They also reduce workers’ strain, ensure the correct parts are picked and allow for constant monitoring during the build, preventing errors and ensuring “critical-to-quality” assembly process is completed with precision.
If a lug nut is missing, the assembly line is stopped. To get the line restarted, one of two things must happen, either the process must be completed accurately, or a quality concern is sent to the Quality Leadership System (QLS) where the problem will be flagged and resolved before the vehicle is released from the plant.
Tags: Ford Focus, Ford Quality, Ford Wayne Stamping and Assembly, manufacturing, smart screwdrivers
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Monday, March 31st, 2008
Ford brings leadership in Virtual Technology to consortiums.
Ford has been advancing its approach to digital ergonomics work since it began using virtual tools to improve vehicle product development processes and quality since 2000. As a leader in virtual technology, Ford is involved in two major consortiums working to advance the use of virtual ergonomic technology:
The Human Motion Simulation Laboratory at the University of Michigan predicts and evaluates realistic human movements. These models can be used by commercially available human computer aided design (CAD) software to enable ergonomic analysis of products and workplaces.
The University of Michigan, College of Engineering, Center for Ergonomics has created an Affiliates Program for Support of the Human Motion Simulation (HUMOSIM) Laboratory to be operated in accordance with written bylaws and the policies and regulations of the University of Michigan. The concept of this Laboratory was initiated by University of Michigan faculty in close collaboration with a small group of companies who either use human motion simulation, produce technologies that enable its measurement, or develop applications for its use.
The United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR), an organization composed of DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation, is partnered with the Virtual Soldier Research (VSR) program at the University of Iowa with a $1.5 million contract for manufacturing ergonomics research.
At UI, a team of 35 researchers is advancing state-of-the-art performance in computerized human modeling and simulation. Their work with USCAR will be aimed at helping the U.S. automakers use computer representations of people, called "digital humans," to design safer and more ergonomically acceptable manufacturing plants.
The partnership will address three large projects, identified by USCAR:
- A study of the strength and fatigue limits of automotive manufacturing plant workers.
- The development and integration of ergonomics tools into "Santos" – VSR's computer representation of a human.
- The advancement of the field of predictive mathematics, also referred to as "Predictive Dynamics," to enable Santos to predict such variables as his own walking speed and direction while carrying various loads and while mathematically predicting various postures.
Tags: , Ergo Lab, Ford Quality, virtual manufacturing
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