Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 reopens to become first site in the world to produce EcoBoost engines.

Ford invested $55 million for tooling and equipment upgrades at Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1, which has been idled since 2007, to build the EcoBoost engine. The powerful, fuel-efficient 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engines represent the cornerstone of Ford’s technology plan to deliver fuel efficiency and performance to millions.

EcoBoost will first be available this summer in the 2010 Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, Ford Taurus SHO and Ford Flex. Production is slated to begin this spring, with approximately 250 employees forming shifts to build the engine. The employees are a combination of employees who worked in the plant, before it was idled in 2007, and employees from other plants.

Employee training and flexible manufacturing are key components to the success of the Cleveland Engine Plant. Here are some highlights of this two-fold strategy:

Extensive Employee Training

• The workforce participated in an intensive three-tier training program aimed at improving quality and empowering employees. The first two phases of training covered basic manufacturing operations and employees learned how to manage their own equipment and work area through “manufacturing work teams” at the plant.
• For the final phase, the plant will be working with Cuyahoga Community College. During four weeks of onsite classroom training employees will upgrade skill sets for machining technicians and production team leaders, and will receive 10 credit hours toward an associate’s degree in Advanced Manufacturing Technology.

Flexible Manufacturing

• Outfitted with a flexible manufacturing system for powertrains, featuring modern, Computerized Numerical Control machine tools (CNC machines) the facility can easily be retooled and reprogrammed to perform new tasks with minimal disruption to production.
• A new, internal database will ensure quality is built into the engine from the outset. During production, each engine built at the plant will have a sophisticated engine “birth history” that allows plant engineers to trace the precise path taken by any part so any quality control issue can be traced back to its source.

Quotes

“The EcoBoost engine is a strategic product that will provide Ford with a competitive edge. The Cleveland site is thrilled to be delivering an important product for the company. We have an outstanding, specially trained workforce that is committed to delivering a world-class, quality product for our customers.”
- Jan Allman, Cleveland Site Manager

“This training approach not only delivers the technical training to the workforce but also empowers them which is a cultural change from the traditional management-directed system. You’re turning over the keys to the hourly team members to let them do what they need to do to get their jobs done. Each employee, working under a team leader, is responsible for his or her area and they work as a team to deliver a high quality engine.”
- Kevin Heck, Cleveland Engine No. 1 Area Manager

“What we do is primarily teach job skills, so this fits right in with our mission statement. What’s unique about this is we’re doing it in Ford-dedicated workspace; we’re bringing our instructors and our equipment to Ford and we’re offering the credit hours. We, along with Ford, understand the importance of helping people expand their skills and knowledge for the rapidly changing workplace.”
-John Gajewski, Executive Director of Cuyahoga Community College Workforce and Economic Development Division

Ford’s new EcoBoost delivers the performance of a V-8 and the fuel economy of an aspirated V-6.

Under Ford’s global initiative to provide powertrains that deliver fuel efficiency while meeting the power and performance needs customers demand, the first wave of new EcoBoost™ engines make their debut in the Lincoln MKS, MKT and Ford Flex later this year. Here are some key highlights on Ford’s new EcoBoost technology:

Power and fuel economy – The twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter Duratec V-6 EcoBoost engine produces 355 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 350 ft.-lb. of torque at 3,500 rpm. A 10-15 percent fuel-economy benefit is expected versus normally aspirated 4.6-liter V-8 engines in the same competitive class.

Engine – The proven Duratec 3.5-liter V-6 comprises the base engine architecture. To handle the increased torque that EcoBoost delivers, some upgrades were made to some of the components, such as the cylinder block, crankshaft, connecting rods pistons and exhaust valves to ensure the EcoBoost V-6 engine is as robust as possible.

Turbochargers – Two Honeywell GT15 turbochargers with water-cooled bearings and operate in parallel, spinning at approximately 170,000 rpm up to 12 PSI. They are rated for a 150,000-mile, 10-year life.

Direct fuel injection – A cam-driven high-pressure fuel pump feeds the fuel injectors at pressures ranging from 200 to 2,175 PSI (pounds per square inch) depending on customer driving. A typical port fuel injection system operates at pressures of around 60 PSI. Six sprayers in each injector target fuel into the cylinder, resulting in a cleaner and more-efficient fuel burn and better cold-start emissions.

Quotes

“The Duratec 3.5 family is a good example of Ford’s forward planning in terms of powertrain technologies. The engine architecture itself was well protected for high-boost applications, so it didn’t require an extensive durability program. It was in good shape to start with.”
- Brett Hinds, EcoBoost Design Manager

2010 Ford Flex with available 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 delivers up to 20 percent better fuel economy.

The first gasoline direct-injection twin-turbocharged engine produced in North America, the 2010 EcoBoost Flex boasts segment-leading fuel economy among full-size performance crossover vehicles with 22 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined. In fact, the all-new engine gives Flex V-8 power and performance feel with the fuel economy of a V-6, saving customers money. Due to Ford’s significant technological advancements, customers can benefit from fuel efficiency with the seamless power delivery they expect from Flex.

Here are some key facts about Ford Flex and EcoBoost

• The 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine delivers an impressive 355 horsepower and a responsive 350 lb.-ft. of torque across a broad rpm range, simultaneously giving Ford Flex the power of a normally aspirated 4.6-liter V-8 while enjoying V-6 fuel efficiency.
• The twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine requires all-wheel drive and will be available on well-equipped SEL and Limited models of the 2010 Flex, packaged with several high-demand customer features.
• The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 is the first in a wave of EcoBoost engines coming from Ford as part of a strategy to bring major fuel-efficiency improvements to millions.
• The key to the EcoBoost system is the harmony between the twin turbochargers and the direct injection fuel system. The turbochargers recover energy from the exhaust that otherwise would’ve been wasted and put it back in the engine to gain efficiency.
• By 2013, more than 90 percent of Ford’s North American lineup will be available with EcoBoost.

Quotes

“We are committed to delivering fuel economy leadership in every new vehicle. We do this with affordable technology that can be applied to the widest number of vehicles. EcoBoost is an important component of that goal. The beauty of EcoBoost is that it enables us to downsize for fuel efficiency, yet boost for power. We’re able to decrease the size of the available engine – such as installing a V-6 versus a V-8 – yet boost the power using turbocharging to deliver similar power and torque of that larger engine.”
- Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Group President of Global Product Development

“We know that there are customers who are looking for the power and performance of a traditional V-8 but are not willing to sacrifice this for fuel economy. No one else in this segment offers this level of performance and versatility, and when you wrap it up in Flex’s unique package, we believe that it will offer a compelling buy in the crossover segment.”
- Kate Pearce, Flex Marketing Manager