Ford Sheet Metal Rapid Prototyping

Automotive applications include prototyping concept vehicles and vehicle personalization.

Ford sheet metal rapid prototyping.

Posted on july 9 2013 by mcg. Ford has introduced a sheet metal process that eliminates the need for expensive dies. Rapid prototyping rp techniques in the sheet metal forming industry is developed to quickly test the form and fit of new sheet metal products on a prototype basis as well as for production runs characterized by small lot sizes. Can do sheet metal stampings in hours instead of weeks.

Once fully developed the ford freeform fabrication technology f3t will allow for lower costs and ultrafast delivery times for prototypes that require sheet metal parts up to three business days versus two to six months needed with conventional methods. We fabricate finish and deliver your parts from our facility in west bend wisconsin. Ford calls this ford freeform fabrication technology f3t. We do not crowd source your components.

See how ford does it with this short video video. Rapid prototyping for sheet metal components. Sadly stamping can take up to 6 8 weeks from the time the design leaves the cad station so it s not great for prototyping. Ford unveils rapid prototyping for sheet metal parts.

Rapid prototyping is a decades long trend in manufacturing but it s gotten special attention. By john hewitt on july 4 2013 at 10 25 am. Rapid prototyping for sheet metal parts posted in the technical forum. Ford s f3t manufacturing tech makes prototyping more rapid.

To speed up prototyping ford has created a rapid process they call the ford freeform fabrication technology f3t for short. We would like to show you a description here but the site won t allow us. Here s some interesting new technology that has huge potential all across the automotive specialty industry. Boomerang provides quick turnarounds of rapid prototypes sheet metal fabrication as well as low volume production short run assemblies and custom one of a kind products for your next trade show event.

Allowing them to fabricate a three dimensional part from a two dimensional sheet of metal in just hours. Ford engineers are developing a highly flexible first of its kind patented technology to rapidly form sheet metal parts for low volume production applicati.