- 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
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.
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Bill Gulker, Ford wind noise core
supervisor, tests a Ford Fusion at the world's first mobile
aeroacoustic wind tunnel, here set up at Flat Rock Assembly Plant
in Flat Rock, Michigan. (Photo: Business Wire)
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
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company
based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 199,000 employees and 67
plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing,
manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of
Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as
Lincoln luxury vehicles. At the same time, Ford is aggressively
pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the
company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous
vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics. For more
information regarding Ford, its products worldwide or Ford Motor
Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.
For news releases, related materials and
high-resolution photos and video, visit www.media.ford.com.
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Ford Motor CompanyDeeptie Sethi313.594.0949sdeeptie@ford.com
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