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The go-to video source for information regarding aluminum products, material characteristics and aluminum processing. |
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Aluminum in the 2015 Ford F-150 Pick-Up Truck
At the North American International Auto Show Ford Motor Company announced the 2015 F-150 will have an all-aluminum body and cargo box. That is a potentially “game changing” direction for a pickup truck. The Ford F-150 is part of Ford F-Series, America’s best-selling truck for 37 consecutive years and best-selling vehicle for 32 consecutive years. In designing the 2015 F-150, Ford set out to create the toughest, smartest and most capable F-150 yet. To deliver on this vision, Ford applied the right materials in the right places to deliver the durability, performance and efficiency its customers expect from the F-150. First, Ford improved the truck’s frame. It is all-new, with more high-strength steel than ever before. Next, Ford used high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy throughout the body, which improves dent and ding resistance while saving as much as 700 pounds, giving customers improved towing, payload and fuel efficiency. Weight reduction is one part of the redesign, which includes two new small displacement engines, smart new features that enhance customer productivity and chassis technology improvements. On the aluminum body side, Ford capitalized on more than 20 years of experience with aluminum bodies dating back to the mid-1990s, starting with its Aluminum Intensive Vehicle program, as well as later experience with the Ford GT sports car and Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles. Ford has also used aluminum in body parts for years, such as in the hood of the 1997 to 2014 F-150, plus aluminum in the suspension and engine components. Ford is using a number of advanced manufacturing techniques that includes rivets, high-strength adhesives and welding to build the all-new F-150. More details about the manufacturing process will be shared later in the year.
