Ford announces it has used a 3D printer to produce an aluminium intake manifold. The manifold is used on the Hoonitruck, a modified 1977 Ford F-150.
The intake manifold was developed by Ford Performance, Ford's motorsport division, in collaboration with researchers at the Digital Additive Production Institute at Germany's RWTH Aachen. The manifold directs air from the F-150's two turbochargers to the cylinders of the V6 engine.
926-hp 1977 F-150
The Hoonitruck is a striking pick-up truck owned by Gymkhana star and rally driver Ken Block. The vehicle is based on a 1977 Ford F-150, although the Hoonitruck has few similarities with this classic American vehicle besides its appearance. For instance, the pick-up features a 3.5-litre Twin Turbo EcoBoost V6 engine, which is based on the engine block of the Le Mans-winning Ford GT. The engine block produces around 926 hp.
For this engine block, Ford Performance worked with researchers at RWTH Aachen to develop an aluminium intake manifold. The design was then manufactured using a 3D printer. Ford claims it is the largest 3D-printed part for a moving car ever.
The Hoonitruck (source photo: Ford)
Complex web-like structure
Raphael Koch, engineer Advanced Materials and Processes at Ford, says the project required the maximum from both the team and available computing power, which is used to run simulations. "The intake manifold has a complex web-like structure that cannot be fabricated using traditional manufacturing methods. We ended up dissolving the supporting structures in acid," Koch explains.
Printing the intake manifold for the Hoonitruck took a total of five days. The part weighs nearly six kilograms.
Vertical printing
Ford has been deploying additive manufacturing for some time. In 2017, for instance, the carmaker announced it was experimenting with a Stratasys Infinite Build 3D printer. This printer, unlike most other 3D printers, prints vertically instead of horizontally. Whereas horizontal printing limits the printing process by a maximum height, vertical printing theoretically allows objects of unlimited size to be printed.
Meanwhile, the manufacturing technology is being used during the development process of new vehicles, Ford reports. For example, additive manufacturing is used to quickly test and refine newly designed parts. It also allows the company to produce special tools faster and more cost-effectively.
Ford in January already showed a number of parts for production vehicles that the company 3D printed. These included a bracket for the air conditioner in the Ford Focus, a plug for the Ford F-150 Raptor and a holder for the electric parking brake on the Ford Mustang GT500. These parts were produced using 3D printing technology from US company Carbon.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Ford (pictured)
