Giant Leaps, Small Steps Further Ford’s Global Strategy
For 2010, Ford is introducing powertrain advancements that range from an entirely new line of powerful, efficient EcoBoost engines to minute transmission tweaks that reduce friction. The challenges of improving fuel economy and reducing emissions are affecting all levels of Ford engineering throughout the 2010 lineup.
2010 Highlights
EcoBoost™ technology combines turbocharging and direct gasoline injection to improve fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions; the first 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engines are debuting on 2010 Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, Ford Taurus SHO and Ford Flex this summer
Conventional powertrains continue to benefit from refinements such as Advanced Deceleration Fuel Shut-Off and Cam Torque Actuated (CTA) Intake Variable Cam Timing (iVCT)
Ford's hybrid vehicle lineup expanding to include the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan; all feature smaller, more powerful battery pack, enhanced electronic throttle control and electric air-conditioning compressor to reduce engine load
Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 reopens to become first site in the world to produce EcoBoost engines.
Ford invested $55 million for tooling and equipment upgrades at Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1, which has been idled since 2007, to build the EcoBoost engine. The powerful, fuel-efficient 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engines represent the cornerstone of Ford’s technology plan to deliver fuel efficiency and performance to millions.
EcoBoost will first be available this summer in the 2010 Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, Ford Taurus SHO and Ford Flex. Production is slated to begin this spring, with approximately 250 employees forming shifts to build the engine. The employees are a combination of employees who worked in the plant, before it was idled in 2007, and employees from other plants.
Employee training and flexible manufacturing are key components to the success of the Cleveland Engine Plant. Here are some highlights of this two-fold strategy:
Extensive Employee Training
The workforce participated in an intensive three-tier training program aimed at improving quality and empowering employees. The first two phases of training covered basic manufacturing operations and employees learned how to manage their own equipment and work area through “manufacturing work teams” at the plant.
For the final phase, the plant will be working with Cuyahoga Community College. During four weeks of onsite classroom training employees will upgrade skill sets for machining technicians and production team leaders, and will receive 10 credit hours toward an associate’s degree in Advanced Manufacturing Technology.
Flexible Manufacturing
Outfitted with a flexible manufacturing system for powertrains, featuring modern, Computerized Numerical Control machine tools (CNC machines) the facility can easily be retooled and reprogrammed to perform new tasks with minimal disruption to production.
A new, internal database will ensure quality is built into the engine from the outset. During production, each engine built at the plant will have a sophisticated engine “birth history” that allows plant engineers to trace the precise path taken by any part so any quality control issue can be traced back to its source.
Quotes
“The EcoBoost engine is a strategic product that will provide Ford with a competitive edge. The Cleveland site is thrilled to be delivering an important product for the company. We have an outstanding, specially trained workforce that is committed to delivering a world-class, quality product for our customers.”
- Jan Allman, Cleveland Site Manager
“This training approach not only delivers the technical training to the workforce but also empowers them which is a cultural change from the traditional management-directed system. You’re turning over the keys to the hourly team members to let them do what they need to do to get their jobs done. Each employee, working under a team leader, is responsible for his or her area and they work as a team to deliver a high quality engine.”
- Kevin Heck, Cleveland Engine No. 1 Area Manager
“What we do is primarily teach job skills, so this fits right in with our mission statement. What’s unique about this is we’re doing it in Ford-dedicated workspace; we’re bringing our instructors and our equipment to Ford and we’re offering the credit hours. We, along with Ford, understand the importance of helping people expand their skills and knowledge for the rapidly changing workplace.”
-John Gajewski, Executive Director of Cuyahoga Community College Workforce and Economic Development Division
New Tools Helps Ford Flex and Ford F-150 Launch in Quality
The 2009 Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Ford F-150 are among the first Ford vehicles to fully utilize a series of virtual manufacturing tools and processes designed to catch possible build concerns by simulating automotive performance.
During the prototype builds, the program teams were able to reduce more than 80 percent of potential manufacturing concerns by running more than 10,000 advanced digital pre-assembly engineering checks on the Flex and the F-150. In addition, engineers were able to reduce design and production tooling issues by 50 percent.
Virtual manufacturing enables Ford to cut production expenditures by reducing the number of prototypes, material waste and cost of tooling. For consumers it translates into more durable vehicles with less repair costs.
Virtual Technology Translates into Real Life Customer Satisfaction
Ford Motor Company’s virtual manufacturing technology allows engineers to take a more holistic view of the product development process as they constantly improve the vehicle’s design and quality. It’s this virtual technology that is one of the key factors behind Ford’s impressive improvement in initial quality levels for the third straight year.
Ford uses customer input to develop engineering design specifications in its digital pre-assembly laboratory. Here, math-based tools are used to check more than 20,000 design elements on a computer screen to ensure they meet the customer-imposed standards.
From there, computer-aided design (CAD) plans are sent to a 3-D visualization center, which Ford calls its “Virtual Build Arena”. This is where the launch team gathers to “build” the vehicle on a virtual assembly line. Using data from the pre-assembly lab, the team observes virtual employees – nicknamed “Jack and Jill” – assemble the vehicle part by part, providing critical ergonomic data as they go.
Jack and Jill personify Ford’s advanced motion capture technology using human modeling software. This ergonomic technology is used to design jobs that are less physically stressful on workers and result in high quality vehicles.
The 2006 Ford Fusion was Ford’s first “digital car.” Building the vehicle first in a virtual factory, using the full suite of digital tools, allowed engineers to spot potential issues earlier on long before a prototype was ever built, eliminating months of product development, saving money and bringing the car to market sooner.
For customers, such advances in virtual engineering have helped the company improve reliability. In 2007 alone, Ford was able to slash $900 million in warranty expenses because of fewer dealer repairs after cars and trucks left the factory.
Ford to Equip Half a Million Vehicles with EcoBoost Engine Technology for up to 20% Better Fuel Economy
A major part of Ford’s near-term environmental plan is a new engine technology called EcoBoost. It will deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy on half a million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles annually in North America during the next five years. The EcoBoost family of 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines features turbocharging and direct injection technology.
Compared with more expensive hybrids and diesel engines, EcoBoost builds upon today’s affordable gasoline engine and improves it, providing more customers with a way to improve fuel economy and emissions without compromising driving performance.
Ford will start introducing EcoBoost engine technology in 2009. During the next five years, the technology will migrate to half a million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles annually in North America alone.
The affordable engine technology – which delivers up to 20 percent better fuel economy, 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions and superior driving performance versus larger displacement engines – is slated for a range of Ford’s global vehicles, from small cars to large trucks.
In addition to environmental actions like EcoBoost, Ford is planning to introduce additional hybrid vehicles and diesel engines for light-duty vehicles in the near term, as well. Longer term, Ford plans to remain aggressive in developing plug-in hybrids, as well as hydrogen fuel cell-powered and biofuel-capable vehicles.
In 2009, Ford first will introduce the EcoBoost technology on the Lincoln MKS featuring a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine. It will produce the power and torque of a V-8 engine yet deliver the fuel efficiency of a V-6.
With an estimated 340-horsepower and more than 340 lb.-ft. of torque, the Lincoln MKS with EcoBoost is expected to be the most powerful and fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive luxury sedan in the market.
EcoBoost engines will be introduced in the Ford Flex and other vehicles later in 2009.
Compared with more expensive hybrid and diesel engines, Ford EcoBoost technology will affordably provide the power and torque that customers crave from their vehicles, while delivering the improved fuel efficiency and reduction in tailpipe emissions that they demand.
EcoBoost builds upon today’s affordable gasoline engine with the addition of proven mechanical enhancements. EcoBoost’s more efficient use of fuel means increased performance yet fewer trips to the gas pump. EcoBoost provides:
Up to 20 percent improvement in fuel economy.
Up to 15 percent reduction in CO2 emissions.
Improved engine performance.
Plus, EcoBoost is easy on the wallet. Customers in North America purchasing a vehicle featuring an EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine can expect to recoup their initial investment within two and a half years through savings in fuel costs. Drivers of diesel-powered vehicles in North America need seven and a half years to recoup their investment. Hybrid owners need nearly 12 years when all options are equalized for miles driven per year and fuel costs.
EcoBoost engines – while featuring advanced technology – still run on regular grade gasoline (87 octane). Their real-world fuel economy benefit is consistent no matter the drive cycle, meaning the engine is efficient in the city as well as on the highway.
EcoBoost features two proven technologies – gasoline direct injection and turbocharging – installed on a “downsized” engine, such as a V-6 instead of a V-8. Versus that larger engine, EcoBoost delivers increased fuel economy, less CO2 emissions and better performance.
Here’s how each technology works:
DIRECT INJECTION: Highly pressurized fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber of each cylinder, rather than the traditional process of mixing it with the incoming air in the intake port. This offers a more precise delivery of fuel, delivering lower emissions and better fuel economy from the higher compression of a more efficient combustion process.
TURBOCHARGING: Energy from the engine’s exhaust, which would otherwise be wasted, is captured and put to work rotating a turbine wheel. The turbine powers a compressor that pressurizes air entering the intake. This significantly increases the amount of air to mix with the fuel, thus increasing the engine’s output, especially by providing higher low-end torque.
6 = 8 / 4 = 6: The EcoBoost 6-cylinder engine can produce the power of a V-8, and a 4-cylinder can produce like a 6. When combined with Ford’s advanced new 6-speed transmissions, electric power-assisted steering, material weight reductions and aerodynamic improvements, EcoBoost affordably will provide consumers with enhanced performance and better fuel economy no matter where they drive – city or highway.
A ‘Smarter’ Mid-size Utility Simplifying Ford’s Key Sustainability Actions
To help explain its vehicle sustainability strategy, Ford has created the Explorer America concept for the 2008 North American International Auto Show. The Explorer America concept delivers an approximately 20 to 30 percent fuel-economy improvement – depending on engine selection – while providing room for six and their gear, along with moderate towing and off-roading capabilities.
This smarter utility concept demonstrates:
A powertrain lineup that includes a 4-cylinder 2-liter engine with EcoBoost technology delivering 275 hp and 280 lb.-ft. of torque or, as a premium engine, a 3.5-liter V-6 delivering about 340 hp. Depending on engine selection, fuel-efficiency will improve by 20 to 30 percent versus today’s V-6 Explorer.
Migration from current body-on-frame to unibody construction, reducing weight and delivering superior driving dynamics.
A fuel-efficient 6-speed transmission with auto shift control, allowing the driver to select and hold a lower gear with just the turn of a dial when conditions warrant it.
A weight reduction of 150 pounds for the V-6 version thanks to its downsized – yet superior performing – engine, as well as more lightweight materials, suspension and chassis components.
Fuel-saving electric power assisted steering (EPAS) and other engine actions that deliver a fuel savings benefit of approximately 5 percent. Between 80 to 90 percent of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles will have EPAS by 2012.
Ford Motor Company is committed to addressing the world's global warming and energy security challenges with a comprehensive strategy to accelerate and expand the use of advanced technologies across its entire product line in high volumes.
Ford's plan includes near-term, mid-term, and long-term technology implementation that benefits millions of customers without compromising their expectations for quality, safety and fuel economy. Ford begins its migration to advanced technology this year through 2012, fully implements known technology by 2020, and beyond that, Ford will be engaged in volume rollout of hybrid technologies and alternative energy sources.
Near term (2008 through 2012)
Launch of the EcoBoost engine technology, which combines turbocharging with direct fuel injection. The result is increased fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions. The 2009 Lincoln MKS will be the first vehicle with the EcoBoost engine.
Broader application of 6-speed transmissions, including the introduction of a new fuel-saving twin-clutch transmission that delivers the fuel economy of a manual with the convenience of an automatic.
Electric power-assisted steering systems which minimize parasitic losses of the engine, applied in about 90 percent of Ford vehicles.
Aerodynamic improvements through better design and wind tunnel optimization.
New hybrid models.
Increased unibody-construction for utility vehicles.
Diesel engines introduced on light-duty vehicles.
Mid and long-term (2012 through 2020)
Vehicle body weight reductions of 250-750 pounds through platform efficiencies and greater use of aluminum and high-strength steel.
Additional hybrid offerings.
Aggressive development on biofuel-capable powertrains, plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Alan Mulally, Ford president and CEO, outlines Ford's blueprint for sustainability during a keynote in Los Angeles in this audio clip
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