Posted on 11/21/2014 9:59:21 AM PST by rktman
Ford unveiled the 2015 Ford F-150 to the media for a first test drive here at the end of September. And not once did the detailed, two-day company presentation mention global warming.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
How is the aluminum body going to help prevent global cooling?
Surely most of the patents are up...
The Saturn got a lot of flack from “journalist experts” for “large panel gaps”
Those were needed because the frp material has a much larger coefficient of expansion with temp.
But I suspect the real challenge to selling aftermarket frp replacements is price. Not many folks would spend 3 or 4 times the price of a replacement Chinese sourced sheetmetal part.
How about some Photos or engine or MPG SPECS?
Probably not.
I believe that most aftermarket body panels are made using old dies purchased from the OME.
FRP would use molds. The molds would, I think have to be made from scratch which I think would drastically increase the price.
just go to ford.com and click on 2015 F150.
It’s all there.
I think almost all non OEM produced aftermarket body panels are made in China or Taiwan with tooling they have produced themselves.
They scan the part, digitize, and build tooling.
They even produce all the sheet metal to build a vintage Camaros, Mustangs, etc.
http://www.dynacornbodies.com/manufacturing.php
Here in Ohio the road crews use a lot of salt in the winter for snow and ice melt.
Salt can really do a number on Aluminum.
Here in Ohio the road crews use a lot of salt in the winter for snow and ice melt.
Salt can really do a number on Aluminum.
And of course, steel is completely unaffected, right?
Maybe. I'm more concerned about the precise composition though, especially if they had any special sauce for longevity or wear ( better than modern, that is).
Depending on what kind of tech used a mold is needed for every N parts, and molds can be made from a master with great staying power for long long runs. Play your cards right and you ma I imagine I'd rev the dimensions starting with a trip to the salvage yard and then refine from the original article using a probe attached to a CNC router. I'd use back-of-the-envelope or FEA to determine if anything special is needed for the attachment points and edges. Actually flat-ish stuff with minimal holes may work better with a simpler technique, where you make the starting mold from the original article.
I’m not persuaded. My F-250 Superduty gets 20 highway on regular gas, and can haul a loaded six-horse GN through a mountain pass without breathing hard. It also makes suburban guys in their weekend F-150s look envious when they see this little blonde lady driving it. ;-) I would rather have this. Someone else can be the guinea pig, and maybe later, after the technology is proven, I will sign on. Frankly I can’t afford to take part in experiments.
Aluminum is under most conditions is a great metal for a variety of purposes because it has a hard oxidation layer that is durable preventing further oxidation of the metal.
But aluminum’s oxidation layer is leached away by sodium chloride. And those chloride ions will just sit there eating away that oxidation layer until you have a nice pit in the aluminum.
Steel also has the advantage that it can have rusted portions cut out and patches welded in fairly easily. Aluminum requires a very skilled welder to do the same type of work.
Haven't noticed that... so I guess it's not a problem for me.
Love the EcoBoost
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