Ford Dagenham Leads The Way In Automotive Machining

BRENTWOOD, UNITED KINGDOM – March 29, 2011: Practical know-how from the Ford Dagenham manufacturing team and detailed computer analysis from an American academic have transformed the efficiency of a Ford engine machining line in the UK.

New changes will allow Ford Dagenham's Cylinder Head machining operation – one of the biggest machining facilities and the longest computer numerical control (CNC) line in Ford of Europe – to run at optimum efficiency, an improvement of 25 per cent.

Six million dollars will be invested into manufacturing facilities at Ford Dagenham later this year, enabling Ford to meet annual customer demand for 575,000 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre TDCi diesel engines, which go into Ford Mondeo, Ford C-MAX, Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta and Ford Fusion models across Europe.

Dagenham machining production manager, Dave Black, worked alongside American academic, Dr Tom Weber, to provide a detailed analysis of the Ford Dagenham production line. Using cutting-edge computer technology, Dr Weber studied Ford's latest manufacturing processes over an 18 month period to find areas where efficiency could be improved. The outcome of the study has meant that Ford's engine-machining line is now running up to 25 per cent faster, with fewer stoppages and with optimum levels of quality.

Dave Black said: “This successful collaboration is a tribute to the flexibility and innovation shown by everyone who contributed. Ford is at the forefront of automotive CNC machining, and has taken significant steps to advance this technology. The lessons we have learned here can be rolled out to current and future CNC facilities in Asia Pacific, Romania and Cologne."