Further investment at Broady

[JPFS1]

FYI

Ford’s Vehicle Operations Manufacturing Engineering Team Goes Further

Jun-04-2012 11:40 PM ET
MELBOURNE, Australia — Ford’s Vehicle Operations Manufacturing Engineering (VOME) team has gone further to improve efficiency through an upgrade of its wheel alignment facilities.

The APA VOME End of Line team, led by Dave Hildreth, combined new Mahle eCats software into Ford’s wheel alignment facilities, which helped optimise overall cycle time. In addition, it provides the engineers with a detailed insight into the task a vehicle is performing during each diagnostic stage.

Wheel Align facilities have traditionally used proprietary software for control, interface and data storage.

“These upgrades enable electrical testing of vehicles to be spread more efficiently across the Pre Delivery Area via software standardisation and distribution of tests into Wheel Align,” Hildreth said.

“Other benefits include the ability to remotely view and analyse Wheel Align data using a web-based reporting system such as Report Logiq.”

The new system also allows plants to run different calibration tests between facilities, allowing the testing of advanced vehicle features on a controlled level surface, such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Aid, and Lane Departure Warning. Combined, these help with the further development of future vehicles.

Hildreth said the new system, which is now in place at the Broadmeadows plant in Australia, the Chongqing plant in china and the Rayong plant in Thailand, and will be introduced as the regional standard.

[Jason[98.EL]]

does that mean that ford au will be manufacturing here in melbourne for a long time to come or am I just reading to much into it

Jason

[Geez Louise]

That's a good thing

Was there any more info or was that the whole story? Can I ask where the story was sourced from?

Cheers
Col

[SteveJH]

Google gives this from searching the name of the article.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by JPFS1

The new system also allows plants to run different calibration tests between facilities, allowing the testing of advanced vehicle features on a controlled level surface, such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Aid, and Lane Departure Warning. Combined, these help with the further development of future vehicles.

So does the above mean these could end up in the terri/falcon?

[JPFS1]

Definitely, wouldn't need to test or certify on imports that already have it. So that leaves opportunity for the local product and obviously the development work that FordAPA are responsible for on their global and ASEAN programs.

[Brazen]

Good news, especially on the potential for added features.

[galaxy xr8]

It's good to hear some positive new's lately after the grey cloud's that have been looming.

[GTP534]

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

It's good to hear some positive new's lately after the grey cloud's that have been looming.

I'll second that; great to hear some investment happening. let's see if it turns up on any of the Drive/Carpoint type sites.

[Nikked]

Ford’s Vehicle Operations Manufacturing Engineering.


Positive signs for the falcon and territory. Ford cementing its facilities here for longer then the reported 2016 date perhaps.

Take this, haters.

Falcon here to stay...

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Ford’s Vehicle Operations Manufacturing Engineering.


Positive signs for the falcon and territory. Ford cementing its facilities here for longer then the reported 2016 date perhaps.

Take this, haters.

Falcon here to stay...

Id say positive signs for sure, dont know about what car will be coming down the line though.

But at the end of the day you dont spend money knowing your about to pull the plug.

[JPFS1]

There's a new car being worked on... that's all I can say.

[bigwil]

No please tell us more, is it for local sale, is it part of the falcon range please tell us more

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by JPFS1

There's a new car being worked on... that's all I can say.

I was going to say I wonder if the lack of development into the ute (ok it has LPi but no ecoboost..no RTV..no TDi...not much) would mean that the Ranger could be built here to suit the resources demand which should be good for some time yet.

But that doesnt make much sense as Thailand would do it alot cheaper I assume....

Small car..nah Focus and Fiesta again done better elsewhere..medium size..maybe.

Damn it must be the new GWRD hey, or a RHD Mustang to be made here and exported to other RHD places.../dream

[Joe5619]

Investing in Australia is always a good sinse!!

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Take this, haters.

Damn right.

Ford Motor wouldnt be approving this additional facility and expenditure on manufacturing operations that are supposedly doomed. Don't forget Ford Australia is one of only three locations in the Ford empire that can design, engineer, test and build a car from scratch. The end.

Also, those items listed on that press release (blind spot system etc) are a sure bet for the MY14 update. The FG already uses EUCD door mirrors which have all of these functions in other EUCD cars.

[Rodge]

The new system also allows plants to run different calibration tests between facilities, allowing the testing of advanced vehicle features on a controlled level surface, such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Aid, and Lane Departure Warning. Combined, these help with the further development of future vehicles

.

Really refreshing to hear some good indications for once.

[Geez Louise]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Damn right.

Ford Motor wouldnt be approving this additional facility and expenditure on manufacturing operations that are supposedly doomed. Don't forget Ford Australia is one of only three locations in the Ford empire that can design, engineer, test and build a car from scratch. The end.

Also, those items listed on that press release (blind spot system etc) are a sure bet for the MY14 update. The FG already uses EUCD door mirrors which have all of these functions in other EUCD cars.

Best post in the whole thread!

[bobthebilda]

Did I read the whole story wrong or is everyone getting excited about nothing? It was a software upgrade. No new machine or anything. Someone has simply put in a disk or downloaded some software that is also being used overseas.

[SpoolMan]

Great news, well done FORD.

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

Did I read the whole story wrong or is everyone getting excited about nothing? It was a software upgrade. No new machine or anything. Someone has simply put in a disk or downloaded some software that is also being used overseas.

After re-reading it, you could be right. But these days software can be more expense then hardware??

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by JPFS1

There's a new car being worked on... that's all I can say.

Is there any indications of when you'll or Ford will be about to say something?

[Bossxr8]

I think any future plans are in serious danger after the latest market response meetings.

Just can't see the place even being close to viable when Falcon sales are down so low and they are predicting it will get even worse, based on the huge amount of down days planned. Only hope for a future model past 2016 must solely rely on an export plan or its curtains. You could never pay back a half billion+ investment for a new model solely relying on such pitiful local sales.

I'm hoping they do have some sort of export plan, can't see any other way.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

Did I read the whole story wrong or is everyone getting excited about nothing? It was a software upgrade. No new machine or anything. Someone has simply put in a disk or downloaded some software that is also being used overseas.

You missed the point completely.....
Broadmeadows is getting such an upgrade because Ford is developing vehicles with these advanced features...


Think about it,
Ford continues to upgrade a line that some think will be closing.......

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by jpd80

You missed the point completely.....
Broadmeadows is getting such an upgrade because Ford is developing vehicles with these advanced features...


Think about it,
Ford continues to upgrade a line that some think will be closing.......

That's how I read it, more a case of adding new tech to the actual production line to add new tech to locally produced vehicles. What at first seems a "yeah, what ever" upgrade gives a little insight on what is to come in future with respect to product features. Thanks for the tip JPFS1.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

That's how I read it, more a case of adding new tech to the actual production line to add new tech to locally produced vehicles.

Add to that JPFS1's cryptic "...another car being worked on.."

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Add to that JPFS1's cryptic "...another car being worked on.."

Could this be the quote of the year, lol...

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

Did I read the whole story wrong or is everyone getting excited about nothing? It was a software upgrade. No new machine or anything. Someone has simply put in a disk or downloaded some software that is also being used overseas.

Yeah I'm sure head office back in Detroit would issue a press release about shoving a software update disc into a computer

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Add to that JPFS1's cryptic "...another car being worked on.."

Define car....model or line?

[dimka100]

You are right, I did this simple calculation to try and work out the profit margin Ford would need to maintain for each Falcon sold just to pay off the R&D investment costs in to a significant model upgrade over a three year period.

I obviously do not know the average profit per Falcon sold (profit in this case being the revenue minus all manufacturing/marketing/sales related costs but excluding cost of R&D) so I used the following few numbers:

At $5,000 (profit per car) x 13,000 (yearly sales forecast) x 3 years (model life span) = $195 mil
At $7,500 (profit per car) x 13,000 (yearly sales forecast) x 3 years (model life span) = $292.5 mil
At $10,000 (profit per car) x 13,000 (yearly sales forecast) x 3 years (model life span) = $390 mil
At $12,500 (profit per car) x 13,000 (yearly sales forecast) x 3 years (model life span) = $487.5 mil
At $15,000 (profit per car) x 13,000 (yearly sales forecast) x 3 years (model life span) = $585 mil

So assuming that a decent model update would require an R&D budget of say 500million, with the current forecasted sales numbers of 13,000 annually, ford would have to make somewhere in the region of $15,000 per car once to cover the cost of R&D and make a tiny profit. Considering the cost of the Falcon, and that majority of cars are sold as heavy discounts to fleets, it seems highly unlikely that Fords margin per sale is anywhere near that region … hence investing such a substantial amount of money based on the current sales projections would absolutely make no financial sense. OFCS having the government chip in a whole bunch of money would change the balance, but it would have to be a pretty substantial chip in …

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I think any future plans are in serious danger after the latest market response meetings.

Just can't see the place even being close to viable when Falcon sales are down so low and they are predicting it will get even worse, based on the huge amount of down days planned. Only hope for a future model past 2016 must solely rely on an export plan or its curtains. You could never pay back a half billion+ investment for a new model solely relying on such pitiful local sales.

I'm hoping they do have some sort of export plan, can't see any other way.