Ford is expecting to halve the energy it uses to produce diesel engines at its manufacturing facility in Dagenham following the installation of a new production line.
The state-of-the-art equipment will use minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) machining tools to replace high volumes of coolant with fine mists of oil to cool, lubricate and clean during the metal working process required to produce the new 2.0-litre Ford EcoBlue engine.
As well as cutting its water requirement by 99.8%, the reduction in the volume of coolant pumped around the facility means three smaller coolant systems can be used which require around 70% less energy. These will contribute to reducing energy use per engine from 188kWh in 2011 to 92kWh in 2016.
Linda Cash, vice president, manufacturing at Ford of Europe, said: “Ever since Henry Ford first introduced the moving assembly line Ford has been at the forefront of manufacturing innovation, and our new Dagenham, UK, facility is no exception.
“Ford is using the latest technologies to ensure our all-new EcoBlue diesel engine production meets the highest standards for sustainability and makes a significant contribution to our global environmental targets.”
The new installation at the Dagenham Diesel Centre is the latest in a series of energy and resource saving initiatives to be implemented at the UK facility. A new LED lighting installation will further help reduce energy consumption by almost 750MWh per year, while the site also uses clean energy from three wind turbines and sends zero waste to landfill.
These sustainability efforts are intended to help Ford reach its global target of a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas per vehicle between 2010- 2025 as well as further reduce the amount of water it uses.
The manufacturer says the new Ford EcoBlue production line in Dagenham makes a significant contribution to this target and is helping to shape future objectives through its example.
