First Posted: 2/4/2015
LIMA — Technological advancement has always been a driving force in business, particularly in the automotive industry. That spirit of innovation continues to thrive at the Ford Lima Engine Plant.
“We’ve completed the install of our new assembly line for the 2.7 liter V6 EcoBoost engine, as well as the facilities to machine the components,” plant manager Mike Felix said. “It was announced back in the spring, and it was a $500 million total investment in the Lima plant.”
This engine is one of the options in the new Ford F-150, created with a new military-grade aluminum alloy body, reducing the overall weight of the vehicle by 700 pounds. That innovation extends to the engine, which features twin turbo EcoBoost technology that delivers the power and performance of a larger V8 engine with the fuel economy of a V6.
“The retail sales of the V6 EcoBoost engine have grown by about 600 percent since we first launched them in 2010,” Felix said. “We are actually now producing more F-series trucks with the V6 engine in them than the V8.”
The plant has also incorporated advancements in its testing process, no longer firing the engine in the plant but rather conducting “cold testing,” checking each component of the engine as it is assembled.
“This takes out a lot of extra cost in handling for the fuel system and exhaust,” Felix said. “Once the engine is built, we do a series of tests where we essentially spin the engine and test a number of the features, along with the timing components, all without firing the engine at all.”
The workplace has benefitted from innovations such as geothermal technology to cool the plant, air tempering to cut down on excess heat and humidity, ergonomic advancements at individual workstations and even high-efficiency lighting to cut costs and create a brighter work environment.
“The work environment has improved dramatically to where people are enjoying to come in to work,” Felix said. “Morale is up, and people are enjoying how we’re growing the business.”
Even with these advancements, Felix said Ford continues to have a “zero defect” mindset, striving to have a flawless product come off the assembly line every time.
“‘We’re never there,’ we say, and until there are zero defects out there, we’re not done,” he said.
