TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Aug. 3, 2015 – The all-new Ford F-150 – Ford’s toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever – earned recognition as the winner of the third annual Altair Enlighten Award from Altair and the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) for the truck’s use of lightweight materials to minimize weight.
The 2015 F-150 – with best-in-class towing, payload and EPA-estimated gasoline fuel economy plus five-star top government crash test ratings for every cab configuration – is being recognized for its total weight reduction of up to 700 pounds.
Starting with the signature fully boxed frame, Ford engineers increased the use of high-strength 70,000-psi steel – from 23 percent to 77 percent of the frame – to improve stiffness and durability while reducing weight. The new frame is up to 60 pounds lighter than the current frame. High-strength, aluminum alloys, already used in aerospace, commercial transportation, energy and many other rugged industries, are used throughout the F-150 body for the first time, improving dent and ding resistance, and also saving weight.
“We are excited to present Ford with the 2015 Altair Enlighten Award,” said Dave Mason, Vice President of Global Automotive at Altair. “The judges recognized Ford’s best-in-class innovation with the company’s approach to weight reduction by incorporating advanced materials and design technologies for the F-150.”
The Altair Enlighten Awards highlight industry examples focused on minimizing the weight of products through innovative design techniques, materials technology and manufacturing processes. It also looks at products that improve industry best practices to respond to the challenges of mass management and meeting fuel economy targets, and addressing increasing vehicle safety requirements.
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