Shhhh! Ford Targets Quieter, Highly Refined Vehicles for Customers with Debut of World's First Mobile Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel

• Cabin quietness is a leading driver in consumer purchase consideration; Ford has developed a world-first mobile aeroacoustic wind tunnel to help ensure quietest cabins possible
• Patent-pending tunnel can produce wind speeds up to 80 mph, then be broken down and reassembled in just hours at any Ford assembly plant in North America; mobile wind tunnel supports vehicle launches to help improve quality
• New tunnel benefits Ford wind noise engineers both professionally and personally – improving productivity by reducing test cycles from weeks to hours, and shortening time spent on the road to enable a better work-life balance

DEARBORN, Mich., May 4, 2016 – Consumers want quieter vehicles – it’s a leading purchase consideration among those looking for a new car. So Ford has come up with a better way to make its vehicles even quieter.

The world’s first fully mobile aeroacoustic wind tunnel is an innovative, patent-pending test system that allows for sources of unwanted wind noise in early production vehicles to be identified faster and solutions developed sooner. In the end, customers drive away in cars designed with a quiet interior that’s so essential to delivering a refined vehicle experience. 

“This project was born from a desire to be the best when it comes to controlling and limiting the cabin noise customers are so sensitive to,” said Bill Gulker, Ford wind noise core supervisor. “And our new mobile wind tunnel saves our engineers time and increases productivity. It’s a fine example of the innovation mindset we’re trying to incorporate into everything we do.”

Ford’s new wind tunnel debuts at Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan – joining a growing fleet of mobile testing facilities including three environmental evaluation chambers.

Changing the business of quiet
 
Full-sized aerodynamics labs, such as Ford’s main wind tunnel in Allen Park, Michigan, are outfitted with the latest in sensitive measuring and analysis equipment. These office building-sized facilities are specialized for advanced aerodynamic and aeroacoustic development work on future models, with each facility costing about $50 million. Due to the specialized instruments and cost, running time for these machines is precious.

Ford’s new mobile wind tunnel costs a fraction of what a full-sized lab costs. Because testing requires only a steady stream of highway-speed wind, many of the large and sensitive instruments of a full aero lab aren’t required. But high-tech, in-cabin sensors like the Aachen head and Noise Vision can still be used.

With an on-site wind noise facility, Ford factories can pull more sample vehicles directly from the line and test them with no delay – eliminating the time and complexity of shipping vehicles back and forth across the country.

Issues requiring assembly process refinement can be detected and resolved earlier, since everybody involved is on hand.

“Now, we’re able to detect even the most subtle noises,” said Gulker. “We can identify an area in need of improvement, have key people gather, communicate quickly, and resolve the issue without delay.”

Rethinking the idea of a wind tunnel
 
Similar in concept to a full-scale wind tunnel laboratory, the heart of the mobile facility is built inside two 53-foot shipping containers. Each includes aeroacoustic vanes and internal ducting to provide smooth, controlled airflow at the nozzle end of the machine, while two 16-bladed, six-foot-diameter ducted fans – each powered by a 250-horsepower electric motor – deliver a maximum blast of 80-mph wind. A series of doors around the containers ensure the sections remain secure during transport or storage.

The machine consists of the two main containers fastened together side by side on flat, level tarmac. In between, two roll-up doors are lifted, while doors on the front and back ends are opened to create the air intake and outlet nozzle. A third, 40-foot container – housing a small office, power distribution and controls – is placed nearby, and data and power cabling are connected between the containers.
The entire operation can be broken down within a day, shipped to any Ford North American assembly facility via truck, then reassembled at the new site and ready for testing within hours.

Agility, and the drive for quality
 
Ford’s ability to perform wind noise testing at the plants means its main wind tunnel in Allen Park is now freed up to concentrate on product development work for future models. This can lead to more time spent on each new vehicle, shortened development times and, ultimately, not only quieter cabins, but better fuel economy.

The new mobile wind tunnel is an example of the kind of out-of-the-box thinking Ford employees are encouraged to embrace, and it directly benefits the company’s wind noise engineers both personally and professionally. They can now work more efficiently, as they no longer have to spend so much time away from their families, traveling to and from plants and the main facility.

Fast facts about Ford’s industry-first mobile wind tunnel

• Maximum sustained wind speed: 80 mph
• Maximum system power: 500 horsepower
• Diameter of each ducted fan: Six feet
• Facility capability: 24-hour-a-day operation by two workers
• Enormous power distribution cables weigh 10 pounds per foot, each plug weighs 40 pounds; in total, each 100-foot cable weighs approximately 1,080 pounds 
• In spite of the machine’s huge power, it registers just 75 decibels at a distance of six feet from the test area – roughly equivalent to a telephone dial tone

Side-By-Side 1965, 2015 Mustang Display Showcases 50 Years of Innovation at National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

• Ford and the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum will debut a permanent Mustang display that uniquely fuses 50 years of history by combining a 1965 Mustang and a 2015 model – both split lengthwise – with two functional driver compartments
• Mustang was chosen as a symbol of automotive innovation over the last 50 years
• Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford will be highlighted at the National Inventors Hall of Fame

DEARBORN, Mich., May 03, 2016 – Ford and the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum (NIHF) are set to unveil a one-of-a-kind Mustang that marries a 1965 model to a 2015 model in a unique side-by-side display for the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum.  

The split-personality Mustang is part of a new, permanent Intellectual Property Power™ Exhibit   at the National Inventors Hall of Fame museum on the United States Patent and Trademark Office Campus in Alexandria, Virginia. The Mustang, along with other exhibits, Museum exhibits, including the Mustang, celebrate the story of intellectual property and illuminates its significance to progress, innovation, and culture in America, as well as how trademarks, patents, and other forms of intellectual property make modern amenities possible. The interactive display is designed to highlight the importance of patents and the tremendous march of technology over the decades. It calls out various patents in the current vehicle, as well as those in the original pony car.

The NIHF sought out Ford as its partner for the project because the company has played such an important part in the long history of American innovation with the Mustang being such an icon for half a century. Ford and its employee volunteers have also been involved for the past 20 years with Camp Invention, a program of NIHF. Camp Invention is one of the nation’s premier summer enrichment programs and leverages hands-on activities to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and builds 21st century skills.

When Mustang was launched, no specific styling patents were granted. Only after the car proved such a huge success – selling more than 1 million cars in its first 18 months – were styling patents even considered and applied for over time.

“Everything moved so fast in the design and run-up to production of the original Mustang that there were no styling patents issued back then,” says Chris Danowski, Ford director of technology commercialization and intellectual property licensing. “Now look at the current car; 2015 Mustang Convertible alone was granted 36 styling patents, which ensure the unique look stays with the car. It also has many unique functional patents for things like the airbag structures, 911 Assist^® and so many other technologies baked right in.”

In 1965, Mustang utilized more than 100 of Ford’s existing functional patents. Those patents reflect some of the touches customers loved back then, including a rear-seat speaker and a power convertible top. Normal conveniences we now take for granted were also involved, like Patent 3,271,540 – the origin of Ford’s self-canceling turn signal.

Today, Mustang is a wellspring of creative design and engineering. The car introduced the first passenger knee airbag system packaged inside the glove box door, with 15 patents granted. It debuted electronic line-lock, along with standard launch control – designed to help bracket racers achieve more consistent performance at the drag strip. Mustang incorporates features specific to modern times, with patented relief in the seat cushion to allow a wallet or phone in an occupant’s back pocket to protrude further into the seat for more comfort.

Many of these patents and more will be illustrated in the display, crafted by Classic Design Concepts, which combines about 60 percent of the driver’s compartment of the original Mustang and about 60 percent that of a new pony car – both including the console area and technology of their times. The left side consists of a reproduction 1965 left-hand-drive Mustang licensed for modern production by Ford and built to the same specifications as the original car – in itself an example of the licensing benefits of intellectual property. The other side is a right-hand-drive 2015 Mustang that is sold in several of the 150 countries where the car is now available. 

Visitors to the museum will be able to sit in either side of the car and directly compare features and styling details; From the AM radio, roll-up window, vent air window, and optional retractable color-keyed and seat belts available in 1965, to the working touch screen display in the 2015 model. Some patents and other intellectual property will be displayed on accompanying monitors and over speakers. Visitors to the display will also be able to hear the sounds of the original 1965 Mustang V8 engine and a 2015 Mustang V8 engine at idle.

At the May 4 unveiling ceremony, Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford will also be highlighted at the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

More Torque and Better Boost: 2017 Ford F-150 to Debut with All-New 3.5-Liter EcoBoost Engine and 10-Speed Transmission

• Continuously improving for customers, 2017 Ford F-150 doubles down on efficiency, capability and performance with debut of the second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost^® engine and all-new Ford-built 10-speed automatic transmission 
• New 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine provides 30 lb.-ft. more peak torque compared with the first-generation EcoBoost engine, up to a best-in-class 450 lb.-ft. for a V6, beating gasoline- and diesel-powered competitors
• The first volume-production 10-speed automatic transmission available to consumers from any automaker will deliver improved acceleration and performance

DEARBORN, Mich., May 3, 2016 – Ford, America’s truck leader, continues its relentless pace of innovation, delivering more torque and better acceleration to 2017 F-150 customers with the all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost^® engine and 10-speed transmission.

The new second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine will provide 30 lb.-ft. more peak torque compared with the first-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, up to a best-in-class 450 lb.-ft. for a V6. F-150 remains the only truck in its segment to offer a twin-turbo V6 gasoline engine.

The all-new Ford-built transmission – the first volume-production 10-speed automatic transmission available to consumers from any automaker – will deliver improved acceleration and performance compared with previous six-speed automatic transmissions.

“The Ford truck team lives to serve our hardworking truck customers,” said Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president, Product Development, and chief technical officer. “The powertrain is the heart of every F-150, and together our all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 10-speed transmission will give our customers better power, efficiency and confidence.”

More than 20 patents are approved or pending for the innovative powertrain combination.

Second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine
 
The new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine builds on the success of the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine and first-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine available for the 2016 F-150. Nearly 1 million F-150 EcoBoost engines have been sold to date, with the 2.7-liter and first-generation 3.5-liter accounting for approximately 60 percent of F-150 sales.

Ford engineers designed the new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine to provide best-in-class torque for a V6 engine, beating gasoline- and diesel-powered competitors. The new engine provides better low-end and peak engine performance, ideal for hauling heavy payloads and towing heavy trailers.

The engine features an all-new, Ford-first dual-direct and port fuel-injection system. Two injectors per cylinder – one mounted in the intake port where air enters the cylinder and one positioned inside the cylinder – work together to improve power output, efficiency, and emissions.

All-new turbochargers deliver more boost thanks to improved twin turbos and a lighter turbine wheel. The new turbos work seamlessly with Ford-first electrically activated wastegates, enhancing operating efficiency. Light-weighting the turbine wheel – by making it out of high-temperature super alloy Mar-M-247 developed by the aerospace industry – improves responsiveness.

Ford’s commitment to continuous light-weighting to improve performance also is evident in the hollow camshafts in the all-new roller-finger follower valvetrain that help save up to 4 pounds of weight. The valvetrain also features more durable intake and exhaust valves, and hydraulic valve-lash adjusters that optimize engine durability over the life of the truck.

The new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine provides Auto Start-Stop as a standard feature, helping customers save fuel, though actual fuel savings vary depending on driving patterns. The technology also contributes to a reduction in CO₂ emissions due to decreased idle times. Auto Start-Stop is specially tuned for truck customers, shutting off the engine when the vehicle is at a stop – except when towing or in four-wheel-drive mode.

All-new 10-speed transmission
 
The new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine will be paired with an all-new 10-speed transmission for the 2017 F-150.

The transmission delivers improved acceleration and performance compared with previous six-speed automatic transmissions, thanks to optimized wide-span gear spacing, coupled with drag-reduction actions. Three overdrive gears and a wider ratio span enable lower-numerical rear-axle ratios to help improve fuel efficiency at highway speeds, while maintaining best-in-class towing.

Weight savings play a key role in improved shifting performance. The 10-speed transmission uses advanced materials and alloys to save weight, and it is the first Ford gearbox that does not use cast-iron components.

An integrated torque converter/turbine clutch also helps shave more than 2 pounds of weight, while also reducing the packaging footprint.

Smarter shift logic helps 2017 F-150 customers tow with improved confidence using tow/haul mode. All-new real-time-adaptive shift-scheduling algorithms monitor more than a dozen powertrain- and driver-control signals to ensure the right gear at the right time for an engaging driving experience, including in sport mode.

An integrated electric pump works with the standard Auto Start-Stop system for seamless restarts and improved driving efficiency.

Manufacturing investment
 
Ford announced earlier this year that it will invest $145 million to upgrade its Cleveland Engine Plant – creating or retaining 150 jobs to support production of the all-new second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine for the 2017 Ford F-150 lineup.

An additional $1.4 billion is being invested at Ford’s Livonia Transmission Plant to create or retain 500 hourly jobs to build the 10-speed transmission.

Both investments are part of the company’s commitment to invest $9 billion and create or retain 8,500 hourly jobs in its U.S. facilities during the next four years. In the past five years, Ford has invested $12 billion in its U.S. plants and created nearly 28,000 total U.S. jobs.

The 2017 Ford F-150 goes on sale this fall.

All-New Ford F-150 Raptor – The Ultimate High-Performance Off-Road Pickup | FORD PERFORMANCE

It’s one thing to describe the capabilities and features of the all-new 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor – the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 Raptor ever. But nothing compares to seeing F-150 Raptor do what it does best.

Shot on the same Mojave Desert terrain where F-150 Raptor was designed and tested to excel, this video is a six-part series that shows why F-150 Raptor is the ultimate high-performance off-road pickup truck.

Forged from high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy that helps the truck shed more than 500 pounds, F-150 Raptor is inspired by Ford’s performance heritage in off-road racing that includes Best in the Desert, Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series and the famous Baja 1000.

Redesigned, larger FOX Racing Shox with more suspension travel and all-new terrain management technology help F-150 Raptor tackle the toughest of surfaces. An available Torsen front differential increases off-road capability further.

The all-new 2017 Raptor is powered by Ford’s new, second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost® engine, with more horsepower and torque than previous Raptor’s 411-horsepower, 434-lb.-ft. 6.2-liter V8, plus an all-new 10-speed transmission.

The all-new Raptor will be built at Dearborn Truck Plant, and goes on sale fall 2016.

2017 Ford Escape: We Are All Champions | Escape | Ford

Be unstoppable with the new 2017 Ford Escape. Life is a sport, and we are all champions.

Ford F-150 Strobe Light Kit

The Ford F-150 now offers an available factory-installed strobe warning LED light kit for fleet customers.

The strobe light kit is designed for use by utility, road construction or municipal crews that need enhanced vehicle visibility while working on-site, warning motorists and others that workers may be present and to proceed with caution. The kit uses weather resistant, durable, low-power LEDs and was specifically designed to work with F-Series high-strength, military grade, aluminum alloy body.

Already available on 2016 F-Series Super Duty trucks, the lights are now available for all 2016 F-150 models – making the toughest, smartest, most capable and safest F-150 ever, an even better tool for work.

Hold on to Your Cup! These Customer Findings Drove the Refreshed Cupholder Design for the New Ford Fusion

• Cupholders – a seemingly small convenience with a big impact – have been moved forward, rotated and redesigned for the new 2017 Ford Fusion
• Ford research, including a new Nielsen survey, took the automaker around the globe in search of what customers want and need from their cupholders
• Insights about beverage containers, customers and cupholder design show people use cupholders not only for bottles and cups of varying shapes and sizes, but also mobile devices and loose change; insights helped Ford refine cupholders in the new Fusion

DEARBORN, Mich., Apr 29, 2016 – At Ford, every detail matters, and customer experiences matter most.

That’s why, in designing the new 2017 Ford Fusion, the automaker set out in search of what makes cupholders – a seemingly small convenience – so important to customers. In the end, customer feedback drove substantial changes to the refreshed Fusion console design, including a new take on the common cupholder that customers will surely appreciate.

The replacement of the traditional shifter with a rotary gear shift dial freed space for two newly designed cupholders – both with available ambient lighting. The new cupholders are now one in front of the other, with the front cupholder 6 inches forward from their location on the 2016 Fusion. It’s a small move with big effects, allowing Ford to extend the armrest by nearly 3 inches and to expand the armrest bin by an extra half-gallon, comparable to your average 2-liter soda bottle or four 16.9-ounce water bottles. For even more storage, a pocket added to the front console is a perfect spot for a wallet and various other items.

“Being dissatisfied with your cupholders may be a minor annoyance, but it’s a daily one, which over time detracts from the overall car experience,” said Jolanta Coffey, Ford instrument panel and console manager. “On the other hand, when you like your cupholders, they can make your vehicle feel like home. For Fusion, we set out to develop a beautiful interior, paying attention to the details that make people fall in love and stay in love with their car.”




Research reveals the following cupholder facts:

1.    Bottles win big

In the U.S., people say drinks in bottles reign supreme. According to a new Nielsen survey, 79 percent of Americans say they use cupholders for bottles. A majority of people – 52 percent – say they typically use cupholders to carry cups of coffee and tea. Ford research also found North American customers use large soft-drink cups more than other parts of the world, and they’re much likelier to drink on the go. In Asia, people tend to bring wide tea bottles into the vehicle.

2.    Putting satisfaction within reach – literally

People value cupholders that are within effortless reach. That’s easier said than done – given the range of possible arm lengths and seat positions. For the new Fusion, Ford studied driver ergonomics to balance the needs of as many drivers as possible. By moving the cupholders, designers ensured Fusion cupholders are an easy reach for at least 95 percent of the population.

3.    Holding more than cups*

Among non-beverage items placed in cupholders, phones by far are the most common. Roughly half say they use their cupholder to store their mobile device, followed by 28 percent who use it for loose change. Food is placed in cupholders by 19 percent of respondents, while 14 percent use it for gum or mints, and 12 percent for wallets. Millennials and teens are much more likely than their elders to use cupholders for non-beverage items. Gender plays a role as well. Men are more likely to use cupholders to store their wallet and change, while women tend to use cupholders consistently.

4.    Get a grip

A great cupholder is roomy enough for an extra-large container, yet capable of holding a skinny one without it tipping over. Ford again did its homework, for the first time using its tactical robot arm RUTH to verify the Fusion cupholders, as well as the spring-loaded resistance grips within them, meet customer preferences for resistance and feel. RUTH measured things like how much effort it takes to insert a bottle and how much tension the grips exert as a cup is being pushed down.

5.    The three cups

Cupholders must be deep enough to hold taller containers, but shallow enough that you can easily pluck out a small cup. Ford found most cups fall between three basic scenarios: your average half-liter recyclable water bottle, the 20-ounce plastic bottle typically used for juices and sports drinks, and the 30-ounce soft-drink cup found at many fast-food restaurants. If a cupholder can help hold all three, it can likely hold most any cup.

In total, the 2017 Ford Fusion has up to six cupholders in the console, front door pockets and rear center armrest. Regardless of region and what drivers may store in their vehicle’s cupholders, they are in constant use – and therefore an important aspect of interior design at Ford.

2016 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet Build Time Lapse | FORD PERFORMANCE

Watch the 2016 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet built piece-by-piece.

Ford Invests $1.6 Billion in U.S. Plants, Creates 650 Hourly Jobs in Michigan and Ohio

• Ford is investing a total of $1.6 billion in its Livonia Transmission and Ohio Assembly plants
• The investment is part of the company’s commitment to invest $9 billion and create or retain 8,500 hourly jobs in its U.S. facilities during the next four years
• In the past five years, Ford has invested $12 billion in its U.S. plants and created nearly 28,000 total U.S. jobs

DEARBORN, Mich., April 26, 2016 – Ford Motor Company is investing $1.6 billion to upgrade two of its manufacturing facilities in Michigan and Ohio, and creating or retaining 650 hourly jobs in the United States.

The $1.4 billion investment in Livonia Transmission Plant and $200 million investment in Ohio Assembly Plant are part of the $9 billion commitment the company made in the 2015 UAW-Ford collective bargaining agreement to continue investing in its U.S. plants.

Ford has invested $12 billion in its U.S. plants and created a total of nearly 28,000 U.S. jobs in the past five years.

“We are proud that Ford employs more hourly workers and builds more vehicles in the United States than any other automaker,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas. “We are committed to manufacturing in the United States, as we have been for more than 100 years.”

Ford’s latest investment creates or retains 500 hourly jobs in Michigan at Livonia Transmission Plant to build a new 10-speed transmission to be first introduced in the all-new F-150 Raptor and certain F-150 models. The investment and 150 hourly jobs at Ohio Assembly Plant, located in Avon Lake, will be used to build Super Duty chassis cab. Both F-Series trucks are part of Ford’s toughest, smartest, most capable truck lineup ever.

Ford has committed to 2,800 U.S. jobs in the past five months. The company has committed to a total of 8,500 hourly jobs in the U.S. during the next four years in communities across Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, New York and Ohio.

“I am thrilled that through our collective bargaining with Ford we were able to secure a substantial investment for the communities of Southeast Michigan and Northeast Ohio,” said Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president, National Ford Department. “The men and women of both Livonia Transmission and Ohio Assembly have shown a great commitment to manufacturing quality products, and we look forward to their continued success.”

Livonia Transmission Plant
 
Livonia Transmission Plant employs more than 1,550 people. It builds a six-speed transmission that is used in a number of products including Mustang, F-150, Transit and Expedition. Production begins in June for the new 10-speed transmission.

Ohio Assembly Plant
 
Ohio Assembly Plant employs more than 1,650 people. It began building F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty chassis cab configurations earlier this year. The plant also produces Ford F-650 and F-750, which was insourced from Mexico last year, as well as Ford E-Series cutaway vans and stripped chassis.

"The Big Boy" of Commercial Trucks: The F-550 HD Payload Pkg

Paul Brown of Geweke Ford in Yuba City CA shows us what he calls, "the Big Boy" in commercial trucks. This is the Super Duty F-550 HD chassis with the payload upgrade to 19,500 lbs. GVWR, and GCWR tow maximum of 33,000 lbs. If you have heavy equipment and tow as well, this truck has the stuff. The body mounted on this chassis is a Scelzi 12' Combo Body. The Combo Body has a work platform on the rear that is the perfect height to work from in the field. A lot of contractors prefer the combo body for that very reason.

You can see more on the specs of this body on the Scelzi website as http://www.seinc.com/truck-bodies/com..., and more about Geweke Ford at http://www.geweketrucks.com