The production forms part of Ford’s R600-million investment in the Struandale Engine Plant operations, which has also facilitated upgrades to the existing assembly line for the 2,0-litre Single Turbo and Bi-Turbo diesel engines.
The modernisation and upgrades to the Struandale Engine Plant began in July 2021 and were completed in December, on time to start tooling trials and pre-production runs.
“In its updated and extended format, the assembly line that is now producing the new 3,0-litre V6 turbo-diesel continues with the production of the existing 2,2-litre and 3,2-litre Duratorq TDCi engines, making it the only facility of its kind in the Ford world that produces both V-configuration and in-line engines on the same line,” says Shawn Govender, Plant Manager of the Ford Struandale Engine Plant.
“Although this was a major challenge for our team and required a lot of creative and innovative thinking, it was essential to making optimal use of our facilities to contain the total investment required and ensure that we are competitive from a cost-per-unit perspective.”
The flexible production format sees scheduled batches of the different engines assembled at 40 stations common to both and a further 25 required for the V6 powerplant – the facility geared to produce 130 000 units annually
“The investment in extending and retooling this assembly line allowed us to modernise the facility by introducing the latest advancements in traceability and quality management technologies, including highly accurate GPS tool positioning systems. Torque-to-turn monitoring for every bolt on the engine, and multiple camera stations that validate and record the accurate fitment of parts throughout the production process,” Govender explains.
“This guarantees every engine we produce is of the highest quality and will complement the significant improvements in performance, efficiency and refinement that will be hallmarks of the Next-Gen Ranger.”
The investment introduced numerous changes for the latest versions of the smaller capacity diesel engines for the Next-Gen Ranger. Around 23 design changes were implemented for the new application, while the number of derivatives produced on the dedicated assembly line for this engine program has increased from nine to 13.
“Most of the updates introduced were to accommodate the design of the Next-Gen Ranger, while further improvements have been made to the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) engine characteristics for even greater comfort and refinement,” Govender says. “
The quality, reliability and durability of this new programme match effective fuel economy. These traits will shine through in Next-Gen Ranger.
Using the most advanced engine dynamometer installed at the Struandale Engine Plant, the 3,0-litre V6 Diesel endured a rigorous testing regime, including a series of 10 Conformity of Production (COP) tests spanning 20 hours each with three 275-hour engine fatigue tests (EFTs).
“The extensive and rigorous dynamometer tests are essential in validating the training of our employees, the application of the production processes and systems, as well as the performance and durability of the engines as part of our commitment to delivering world-class quality for our customers,” Govender says.
On the updated 2,0-litre SiT/BiT engines, four 20-hour COP tests were done, along with three 275-hour engine fatigue tests and two 100-hour GloSys tests. Similarly, the Duratorq TDCi engines underwent three 20-hour COP tests and a 154-hour durability test.
