Since May 2013, more than 8,000 skilled trades and production workers at Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant and Kansas City Assembly Plant have undergone an intensive training program to support production of the all-new Ford F-150.
(photo: Ford)
The production training program was designed to support F-150’s innovative manufacturing process, which incorporates the latest in advanced materials and forming and joining technologies, including a cutting-edge riveting operation system versus conventional welding.
Totaling more than 400 hours of in-class and hands-on courses, the skilled trades program covers everything from installing and configuring new equipment for the production line to constructing the truck’s advanced electrical control system.
The new manufacturing process called for the overhaul of both Dearborn Truck and Kansas City Assembly facilities. Dearborn Truck saw its largest manufacturing transformation in decades wherin legacy manufacturing equipment was replaced with the latest in production technology, including:
New press lines to help stamp four different types of aluminum alloys that assist with light-weighting the vehicle cab and boxNew hydroforming lines to use fluid pressure to form metal tubes into structurally strong support railsNew chemical and heat treat area for corrosion resistance and material hardening results in stronger, more durable materialsImplementation of a closed-loop aluminum recycling system process in which all aluminum assembly scrap is collected and sorted so it can be used again in new F-150s – a process that saves energy and lowers costInvestment in 500 new robots in the all-new body shops to conduct state-of-the-art joining technology, resulting in a tougher, more durable truckUpdated paint shops with dirt detection technology and increased automation for more durable paint application“An effective vehicle launch starts by understanding the current processes and constraints of an assembly plant to align them with the new parts and processes that are being rolled out,” said Brian Miller, truck launch manager for Kansas City Assembly Plant. “But the most important part of a successful launch is the people. The people on the assembly line are key to producing the best truck on the road today.”
The training program has resulted in the successful launch of the all-new 2015 F-150 at Dearborn Truck Plant. Kansas City Assembly Plant is on plan to start building production trucks by the end of the first quarter of 2015. Combined, Dearborn Truck and Kansas City Assembly will have capacity to produce more than 700,000 Ford F-150 pickups per year for availability in 90 markets globally.
In January, Ford F-Series had its strongest sales month since 2004, the company’s best sales year ever for F-150.
SOURCE Ford
