Built Ford Tight - Ford develops robot laser build-inspection technology
Laser-guided robots will inspect door panel assembly and help reduce cabin noise
"Built Ford Tight" may be the automaker's new motto.
Ford has introduced a new technology which uses laser-guided robots to inspect build-quality and make sure parts are put together as tightly as possible.
The technology will ensure better build-quality of Ford vehicles by reducing running noise and improve cabin comfort.
"Ford's robotic laser technology gives us a degree of precision like never before," says Ron Ketelhut, chief engineer in the Body Construction Engineering division at Ford. "The vision technologies verify the dimensions of interfaces on the vehicle's body in a highly accurate way, to a tenth of a millimeter."
The technology makes sure that door panels are fitted more accurately and reducing wind noise - a key quality issue for customers.
The technology makes sure that door panels are fitted more accurately and reducing wind noise - a key quality issue for customers.
The company will be investing around $100 million (€70 million) in the technology which will first be implemented in Ford's Chicago and Michigan assembly plants in the United States as well as Ford of Europe's plant in Saarlouis, Germany.
The first models to benefit from the new technology will be the 2012 Ford Focus and Ford Explorer.
