Plastic Industry Honors Ford for Innovation with Grand Award
13 November 2000
Plastic Industry Honors Ford for Innovation with Grand Award
Ford wins three of six overall categories for innovative use of plastics
* Chassis/Hardware/Powertrain for a Controlled Energy Management (CEM)
Bumper Isolator(TM) on the 2001 Windstar.
* Body Exterior for introducing the industry's first structural cargo box
using composite materials on the 2001 Explorer SportTrac.
* Environmental for developing the industry's first commercially
successful process for using recycled nylon in powertrain components featured
on the 2001 Econoline, F- series and Excursion.
DETROIT, Nov. 10 Ford Motor Company received the
Society of Plastics Engineers' Grand Award at the 30th Annual Automotive
Division Innovation Awards. The Grand Award recognizes the "best-of-the-best"
among awards given in six categories for the most innovative use of plastic.
The six categories are Environmental, Chassis/Hardware/Powertrain, Body
Interior, Materials, Body Exterior and Process/Enabling Technologies.
Ford Motor Company received the Grand Award for the most innovative use of
plastic in the Chassis/Hardware/Powertrain category for a Controlled Energy
Management (CEM) Bumper Isolator(TM) developed in partnership with LDM
Technologies and Concept Analysis Corporation and featured on the 2001
Windstar. The CEM Bumper Isolator(TM) features several innovations in
manufacturing, engineering, design and material application, which
significantly reduce its cost and weight.
The isolator features a unique conical geometric design that produces a
more efficient square wave crash pulse than expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam
-- the current industry standard. The isolator absorbs more energy in less
space during both high and low speed impacts allowing it to be packaged in
less space than EPP foam. This reduces front and rear overhangs. Shorter
overhangs improve customer satisfaction by enabling improved styling and
enhancing vehicle maneuverability.
This year the Chassis/Hardware and Powertrain categories were combined.
Ford has won five Chassis/Hardware and three Powertrain awards since 1988.
In addition to winning the Grand Award, Ford Motor Company was recognized
for innovation in three out of the six award categories. The company received
awards for the most innovative use of plastic in the
Chassis/Hardware/Powertrain, Body Exterior and Environmental categories.
Ford Motor Company received the award for the most innovative use of
plastics body exterior for introducing the industry's first structural cargo
box using composite materials. The composite pickup box on the Ford 2001
Explorer SportTrac was developed in partnership with The Budd Company's
Plastics Division.
Using a composite instead of steel yields an over all reduction in vehicle
weight, resulting in an increase in fuel economy. A structural Sheet Molding
Composite (SMC) box inner does not trap water under a liner, eliminating the
risk of rust damage to the pickup bed. The SMC box is close to 20 percent
lighter than a typical steel box.
The old process requires 45 pieces of sheet metal to be assembled. With
the new composite one-piece box, there are fewer pieces, fewer tools and
assembly fixtures and it takes up less floor space in the assembly plant,
which results in cost savings.
The composite box exceeds the 150,000-mile durability requirements
specified by Ford Truck for all pickup boxes. It is built "Ford Tough" and is
far superior to steel for corrosion and dent resistance. Not only does the
composite box reduce weight, improve fuel economy, increase durability, cut
down production time and cost it is also recyclable.
This is Ford's second award in the Body Exterior category since 1988.
The award for the most innovative use of plastic in the environmental
category is for developing the industry's first commercially successful
process for using recycled nylon in powertrain components, featured on the
2001 Econoline, F-series and Excursion. This was accomplished in partnership
with Visteon and Honeywell.
The new process uses recycled nylon from carpet to make powertrain
throttle bodies. The throttle body made of recycled nylon is virtually
indistinguishable from those produced using virgin nylon.
This is the fifth time Ford has received the award in the environmental
category since 1991.
To receive an award in one of the categories the companies developing the
technology must nominate themselves to a SPE Automotive Division Board of
Directors made up of volunteers who work in various plastic related jobs for
companies in the automotive industry. It must be a new technology and it must
be in production to be accepted.
The finalists accepted must then present their technology to the board.
The technologies are divided into one of the six categories and the three to
four with the most votes remain. The outstanding technologies then go to the
Blue Ribbon panel made up of independent judges, including esteemed members of
the press, technical specialists and academia and they decide on the six
winners.