Ford Driving Hard Into Carbon Fiber

New lower cost collaboration to develop automotive-grade and less expensive carbon fiber production announced.

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - Feb. 18, 2015



2016 Ford GT – Partially built of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP).



Ford is not just moving into Aluminum with the F-150 its most visible high tech material offering as it announces a new partnership to develop manufacturing innovations in automotive-grade carbon fiber for use in future automobiles.



Ford and DowAksa – a 50/50 joint venture between The Dow Chemical Company and Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayii A.Ş. – are researching high-volume carbon fiber manufacturing production to make vehicles even lighter for greater fuel efficiency, performance and capability.



Ford stated the two companies will be joining the newly formed Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, created by the U.S. government. The institute is part of the larger National Network for Manufacturing Innovation supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).



The mission and the goal of Ford’s collaboration with DowAksa is to reduce the cost of carbon fiber in a high-volume production process.



Jim deVries, Ford Global Manager, Materials and Manufacturing Research:

Quote:

“This will accelerate our timeline to introduce carbon fiber into high-volume applications that will improve our products fuel economy without sacrificing strength.”

Ford and Dow Chemical began working together in 2012 to develop low-cost, high-volume carbon fiber composites.



Ford Engineers around the world work closely on a wide range of projects involving advanced materials and carbon fiber, including collaborative R&D into corrosion and corrosion-fatigue analysis of joints with metals supporting the use of CFRP parts in mixed material bodies.



Carbon fiber composites have been used in aircraft and racing cars for decades because they provide high strength with extremely low weight. It is possible to tailor strength properties to a specific component – making it as stiff or flexible as needed for a given application.



At the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, Ford revealed the all-new Ford GT supercar that makes extensive use of lightweight materials, including carbon fiber and aluminum. With its structural carbon fiber elements, the GT will exhibit one of the best power-to-weight ratios of any production car ever made.

2016 Ford GT

Creating lighter vehicles is a major part of Ford’s Blueprint for Sustainability to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Current products that apply a light-weighting philosophy include the all-new 2015 Ford F-150 which uses 6013 high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy to reduce weight by up to 635 lbs. - 2014 Reg. Cab with the 3.7L at 4,685 lbs. – the 2015 Reg. Cab with the 3.5L at 4,050 lbs. - allowing a best–in-class gasoline fueled full sized truck efficiency, payload and tow ratings.

2015 Ford F-150





Ford's 15 F-150 Loses 700 pounds!

The 2,600 pound Hyperlight Ford Fusion Concept applied aluminum, high-strength steel, magnesium, composites and carbon fiber to nearly every vehicle system to reduce the car’s weight to that of a Fiesta – a near 25 percent reduction. Insights from this concept will be a catalyst for lightweighting technologies in future automotive production.

Ford Fusion Lightweighting Concept

In particular Ford and DowAksa are working together to reduce the energy needed to produce carbon fiber components, cut the cost of raw materials and develop new recycling processes.

Ford Driving Hard Into Carbon Fiber