Ford Sheet Metal Rapid Prototyping

Rapid prototyping is a decades long trend in manufacturing but it s gotten special attention.

Ford sheet metal rapid prototyping.

Can do sheet metal stampings in hours instead of weeks. Ford engineers are developing a highly flexible first of its kind patented technology to rapidly form sheet metal parts for low volume production applicati. We would like to show you a description here but the site won t allow us. Automotive applications include prototyping concept vehicles and vehicle personalization.

Over the last 100 years or so the ford motor company has gotten really good at stamping sheet metal parts. To speed up prototyping ford has created a rapid process they call the ford freeform fabrication technology f3t for short. Ford has introduced a sheet metal process that eliminates the need for expensive dies. Here s some interesting new technology that has huge potential all across the automotive specialty industry.

Rapid prototyping for sheet metal parts posted in the technical forum. Rapid prototyping for sheet metal components. We fabricate finish and deliver your parts from our facility in west bend wisconsin. Posted on july 9 2013 by mcg.

Ford unveils rapid prototyping for sheet metal parts. 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. By john hewitt on july 4 2013 at 10 25 am. This article provides an overview of some of the technologies used for rp and low volume production of sheet metal.

We do not crowd source your components. See how ford does it with this short video video. Ford calls this ford freeform fabrication technology f3t. 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.

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. Allowing them to fabricate a three dimensional part from a two dimensional sheet of metal in just hours.