Ford's new system takes wind tunnel testing on tour - https://t.co/K020WdSF5i pic.twitter.com/zvVNKaiyqD
— Gizmag (@gizmag) May 9, 2016
If you are like most Americans, you prefer your vehicle's cabin to be quiet and refined. Testing vehicles as frequently as necessary, however, can be a struggle.
Ford's full-sized aerodynamics labs, complete with the latest in aeroacoustic measuring technology, cost about $50 million each.
What happens is, precious wind-tunnel time is prioritized for new models that are in development. Testing production vehicles from the assembly plant pre-launch is still critical to smoothing out wrinkles in the assembly process, but often it takes weeks between a plant shipping a vehicle to the wind tunnel labs, and results to come back.
So, Ford found a way to cram $50 million worth of technology into two 53-foot shipping crates to craft the world's first mobile aeroacoustic wind tunnel.
Now, the wind tunnel can make house calls. It may not have all the sophisticated features of the full-sized labs, but the portable wind tunnel generates sustained winds of 80mph, is only about as loud as a vacuum cleaner, and is filled with vanes and ducting to distribute wind evenly to simulate highway-driving conditions.
"Now, we're able to detect even the most subtle noises," said ," said Bill Gulker, wind noise supervisor at Ford Motor Company. "We can identify an area in need of improvement, have key people gather, communicate quickly, and resolve the issue without delay."
Visit Friendly Ford of Crosby to find new Ford vehicles made with the spirit of innovation, and a dedication to refinement and quality.
Categories:
News