As Ford’s Dearborn, Michigan, plant gets closer to starting production on the new 2015 F-150 pickup truck, the risks involved in moving from steel to aluminum are becoming clearer. The aluminum-bodied 2015 F-150 is said to shave more than 700 pounds off the outgoing model, with the goal being to boost fuel economy as federal standards (and fuel prices) continue to rise. The challenges of working with aluminum at this scale leave Ford with little room for error, and new reports find concern rising among industry analysts.
Ford developed its aluminum construction process during its ownership of Jaguar/Land Rover, but it’s the scale of the 2015 F-150’s production requirements that have some worried. Beyond the potential difficulties of material procurement for so large an endeavor, AutoPacific analyst Dave Sullivan told Automotive News : “Nobody’s riveted and glued at this speed yet. That’s the big unknown.”
Aluminum requires more detail-oriented work in terms of keeping the material itself clean, and the riveting and gluing process is more complex compared to steel, which can be easily spot-welded. (All of this also applies to the aftermarket repair process.) Jay Baron, President of the Center for Automotive Research, noted the benefits of aluminum construction to Automotive News: “You will get a more stiff body relative to spot welding,” he said, adding “Once they get it all debugged, it will be much better quality.”
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How much debugging Ford can withstand in the early stages of building of its biggest profit center may be the biggest factor in the 2015 F-150’s success or failure. Ford plans to ship the first trucks out by year’s end, with retail orders currently scheduled for delivery in February 2015. Ford is projecting confidence in its ability to make the transition cleanly and on time, but company president of the Americas Joe Hinrichs recognizes that the biggest challenges for the new F-150 won’t reveal themselves until production begins, telling AN: “We’re cautious for a reason. We haven’t turned the switch on in that body shop yet. Until we do, we won’t know exactly where we are.”
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