Waste Not
Going green continues to be a priority for the Blue Oval brand, according to a recent press release. It states that Ford has teamed up with renowned technology company Hewlett-Packard to recycle discarded 3D-printed parts and powders into effective injection-molded vehicle parts. While innovative all by its own, the team at Wiscasset Ford is proud to say that this is the first time such a partnership has happened within the automotive industry. The press release states that so far, the recycled components are injection-molded fuel-line clips outfitted on the sturdy Ford Super Duty® F-250. The components have increased resistance to chemicals and moisture, are 7% lighter than usual parts*, and have a reduced cost of around 10%. Engineers working for Ford are also conducting research to do the same for 10 fuel-line clips for other models.
“Finding new ways to work with sustainable materials, reducing waste, and leading the development of the circular economy are passions at Ford. Many companies are finding great uses for 3D printing technologies, but, together with HP, we’re the first to find a high-value application for waste powder that likely would have gone to landfill, transforming it into functional and durable auto parts.” – Debbie Mielewski, Ford Technical Fellow, Sustainability
Recycled & Renewed
According to the press release, HP has been furthering the field of 3D printing and its collaboration with Ford has created an efficient zero-waste process. For the Blue Oval brand, this research is helping develop all-new materials and applications for its own 3D printing usage. These include liquid vat polymerization and filaments. The release states Ford’s main objective is to “achieve 100% sustainable materials in its vehicles.” Here at Wiscasset Ford, we are firm proponents of this environmentally-friendly initiative and cannot wait to learn more details about it. Keep in touch with our team for the latest news!
*See dealer for complete details.
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